


Sick Of Losing Soulmates

by Worldsinwords



Category: Little Witch Academia
Genre: AU, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Dianakko, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, I was just really really rusty in the beginning, Slow Updates, Soulmate AU, also known as Diana has a lot of self doubt in this world and that makes me sad, btw its shit quality at first but it gets better, but it's slowly improving
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-25
Updated: 2018-09-22
Packaged: 2018-09-26 20:08:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 90,813
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9920438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Worldsinwords/pseuds/Worldsinwords
Summary: In a world where you can find out who your soul mate is with their final breath, it is reasonable why Diana grew up to be who she is now.(Soulmate Au- where they are words of soulmate’s is on your skin of when you first meet them or your last.)





	1. Chapter 1- Words

**Author's Note:**

> Hey there, this is my first fanfic after a big break in writing so please bear with me as I'm a bit rusty but I think I'll do fine. I won't be able to do a daily upload or something as I'm currently in the exam period but I'll update as soon as I can. Now let's get started on this emotional ride that will kill both me and you in the end. Enjoy!

Words were dangerous. They were able to do impossible things to a person that no one would fully comprehend. They made people feel emotions of vast range but two of them being the most prominent. Love and fear.

Words were written against your skin, a fate that no one would never figure out. Often in a blend of two or more colours that sends you into panic or joy when they are first seen, printed on your body. Red, the solid colour within the words for when you first meet your soul mate were common, often in their handwriting to solidify the bond.

It's the one colour you would want to see.

If you see it, printed in a font that was not your own, you grow bold, excited, taking choices that would lead to more chances of the inevitable meeting to happen. Then at your young age of when they came, you show your parents and look in confusion as they cry.

It's only then, they tell you it's that they cry for happiness. Their tears for joy that your skin wasn't cursed of the ink of black.

Black kills.

Drains your face of colour when you see words in a font you've never seen before, bold and thick, in a harsh form that sends another wave of shock that you don't see the wanted colour of red anywhere.

Just words in solid black ink.

In the confusion that fills your day, you go to your parents, your friends, the people who care and love you and ask a question so innocent it's broken within minutes.

Black words makes their expression morph to horror, shock, anger, sadness and every dead emotion in between. Then, the truth comes out, the story, the curse, the sudden gasp of realisation of what kind of life is branded on your skin. That the black words cut on your skin kills, that the words spoken and heard makes your heart skips a beat and then shatter in two.

Black words are the words you last hear of whoever was your happy ending, the perfect person, the love of your life, your soul mate…before they die in your arms.

Black are the words, hidden under a masking spell, that Diana wears everyday.

/-/

Diana looked at her newly wed cousin. Dressed in a gown of white, a veil covering her pinned blonde hair as the sapphires in her eyes glistened with tears. There was a sad smile on her face, one that dressed the real emotion underneath that Diana could see all too clearly. The look of pity.

"Are you sure you need to leave early, it's not uncommon for unmarried bridesmaid to find someone at a wedding." Diana hides the wince under a more believable sad smile. "I'm afraid any boys would be sad to know that they don't fit my fancy." She answers, the grip on her hand tightens briefly as the implication travelled through.

She knows she means well. She's one of the few extended family members who did. Not everyone would personally invite a curse to their wedding, even if it was family. "Okay then," Her cousin breathed, a genuine sad smile on her face as she crouched down to hug her. One where Diana gave back, holding to her dress tightly as she could. "You stay safe okay little Dana," she whispers, her voice breaking with each word spoken. Diana nods her head, too buried within the lacing of dress that she can't respond. If she did then there would be two Cavendishes crying and that would cause problems.

"I'm sorry you had to leave now." Diana shook her head, voice muffled, even if she turns her head. "It's alright, it's not your fault Elizabeth." She assures, though the lie feels poisonous and foreign on her tongue. She doesn't wants to leave her wedding, not after dreaming about it with her when they were younger. But she has to, the beautiful scenery, the exposed words, the empty promise on the altar. It's all too much after a while. She had to leave before it overwhelmed her even more. Even it meant just staying for the formal event alone.

Besides, the stares on the back of her head and the mutters and whispers in the day still lingered enough to keep her up at night. Turns out magic can't hide all of the secrets from piercing eyes.

"I hope you and Alex get your happy ever after." She says as she pulled away from her hug with such reluctance. "I'll send you all the stupid photos of the party if you want." Elizabeth laughs as she stand back up.

"I'll hold you on that." Diana nods, straightening her Luna Nova uniform and adjusting the ribbon on her waist. Elizabeth smiles at her, brushing the strands of hair from her face as she pats her cheeks lightly. Flickering her wand out of air, she mutters the incantation, blue neon lights swirling around as the painting of what was once a beautiful countryside resort turned into the Blue Team's room of Luna Nova. The painting shimmers in the moonlight before it sets there, a faint glow shimmering around the wooden frame.

"Never forget that I love you." Elizabeth said as she kissed Diana's forehead before placing her hat on.

"I hope you won't forget too with your old age." Diana smirks, giggling at Elizabeth's shocked face before it switches to laughter. "Get going little Dana, I expect to hear the best of the best grades soon." Diana's smile gleams more despite the acknowledgement of the hidden words behind it as she holds her bag and steps through the painting.

The world quickly shifting within a speed she couldn't comprehend and when she opens her eyes after a mere blink, she's back at Luna Nova like she never ever left.

Diana breaths in the familiar smell, the lingers of tea, old books that collect dust on the shelf. She walked over to her bed and laid there, her back sinking in to the soft, familiar mattress. There, with a serene smile she took a deep breath and exhaled.

It calms her, each slow breath in exhaled the breaths back at the wedding, where she shared the air with people she haven't seen in years, family members who knew and never connected again, cousins and second cousins whose eyes told any verbal words they could've said if she stayed an extra day.

It was as if Luna Nova caused a spell to cleanse her mind and bring her back to who she really is. The Luna Nova student, Diana Cavendish, member of the blue team, not the estranged cousin Diana. She could be seen as extraordinary and extra ordinary all at once.

The muffled chatter outside her door forced her eyes to open and her body to sit up. The mind switching to panic as she flicked her wand out and started the spell that she grew up with, muttering the words under her breath like a prayer, something to calm her down as green enveloped her and the door clicked open.

"Diana!" Hannah and Barbara screamed with delight as the magic swirled away from her. Diana's face broke to a smile, hugging both as they came on each side. "Hello Hannah, Barbara," she laughed as she hugged them.

"When did you get here?" Hannah asked as they pulled away, one sitting either side of her. "Just a few minutes ago." Diana answered, "My cousin sent me through a portal." "Oh my gosh, the wedding!" Barbara exclaimed as she hugged her arm.  
"How was it?"

"Yeah, did you anyone say your words?"

Diana felt a pang in her chest, causing her to smile more as she looked out to the painting on the wall, the same one she popped out from. "It was beautiful, my cousin and her partner looked absolutely stunning." She answered, the image of Elizabeth, her eyes full of smiles and her smile full of love, staring deeply to her partner's sea green eyes at the altar of the wedding.

"But did someone say the words?" Another pain shot through her heart, one more harsher than the last. Her head drops, the shoulder slumps, the fatigue that she didn't sweep away from the wedding lingers on her and chains themselves to her bones.

"No, not many people said any words really." Another white lie, many talked at the wedding. Many talked about her, but none saved a few talked to her. Whether it was the knowledge or the fact she was a stranger to many, Diana remained mostly alone throughout the whole ceremony.

"Hannah!" Barbara scolded causing Hannah to flail her hands in a panicked apology. "I'm really sorry Diana, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings." Diana smiled at her, a small one to reassure her, though mainly it was all she could muster.

"It's fine Hannah, I didn't really mind it." Another lie, the old sting of lying to your friends returned again from the childhood days. But it's fine, she could deal with the pain. She doesn't want them to worry about something they can't control.

"Did you manage to get me some notes?" Diana asked as she moved herself to her desk. "I promised Elizabeth that I'll get the best grades possible again." In other words, she promised to get distracted enough to not worry of the words branded on her right arm. Now is a good time as any to get started.

"We did but you should really rest Diana." Hannah suggested as she went to her bag left on the floor as Barbara did the same.

"Yeah," Barbara agreed, coming to her side and giving her a once over. "I think you need some rest, like you look really tired Diana." She placed her notes on the desk, a concerned look on her face. Diana waved it off, flipping her wand out to turn the candles on her desk alight. "Its just a side affect of travelling through teleportation."

"Still, rest is very important, besides tomorrow is the weekend, you have a lot of time to catch up in the morning." Hannah added as she placed her set of notes on the desk as well.

Diana's chest churned and tightened. She knows that they're trying to help, to make sure she doesn't overwork herself as she did before but she needs something to distract. A busy mind doesn't allow time for it to wonder and find statements she knows won't be true but will take it anyway. She looks at the desk, the welcoming sight of a blank page and a quill. Then at her friend, concern and worry all over their faces.

"You're right." Diana sighed, giving her wand a fast switch and cut off all candle light that were there. "Sleep is important for the human body." She faked stretched in her chair, closing her eyes to say a quick plea to anyone who would listen to allow her to have a good night's sleep. The sound of light clapping can be heard in the background as the voice talks in her head. The one that talks when something goes wrong, the one that never lets a single comment about her go unheard even if it existed 5 years ago. Still she prays to anyone who listens for a sleep she desperately needs.

Unfortunately, she knows better that things don't work like that, at least not for her.


	2. Chapter 2~ Colours

There was darkness, swirls of purple and white tarnished the tiled floor. The hollow sound of feet echoed around her, each step sending another jump in her heart. Red was scattered across the ceilings, shards of white danced around the black pillars ruined with grime and fear. Maybe it was her own, maybe it was the collective fear of all those who came before her.

A loud bang destroyed the eerie silence. The muffled scream followed as she turned around, the lime green colour of sparks and fire flew at her before black filled the space between. The screaming stayed in her ears when Diana woke up in the morning darkness of her room.

Her skin was red, her golden hair frazzled into a bush of sweat and knots. She moved her hand across her eyes, feverishly wiping the tears that came with the dream that’s drifting away with every waking second. Her body heaves, air taken from her lungs as the rapid pacing of her breath slows to long inhales and exhales.

Her eyes close slowly as she rests her head back on her pillow. She listens in to the morning sounds, the soft rustling of Hannah in the other side of the room, moving in the bottom bunk, Barbara’s soft snores on the top. Her mind focuses on it, the subtle distractions to anchor her to the ground, that she isn’t in some fabrication that her mind made up to scare her.

When she opens her eyes, the voice becomes quiet. The world around her becomes more lighter and whatever she thought of last night are now whispers of the past. Luna Nova’s spell is taking its slow needed effect and under the rise of dawn. Diana smiles as she casts the usual masking spell with the knowledge that she can hide her words once again.

**/-/**

Cafeteria was more spacious than usual Diana notes as they sat down in their usual seats. The green team was seating with Akko’s team once again and seemed to be in a tight discussion. Similar to them, Hannah and Barbara were discussing something she seemed to have missed in class though she knows the basics well enough. “I’m just saying, Hannah, Joan of Arc could’ve lived under the ruse of a Sparrow.” Barbara sighed, leaning into her palm as she takes another bite.

Hannah huffs, taking a sip of her cup as she looks at Diana. “What do you think Diana, do you think Joan of Arc lived or did she die like the books said?”

Diana paused, her head titling up to recall something Elizabeth has told her. “There could be a chance, my cousin Elizabeth told me that the Snow-finches, who in spite of the name is a sparrow, wasn’t seen until a few years after the French were aware of the news that their beloved witch died.” She mused, causing Barbara to lighten up with a smug look towards Hannah. “On the other hand, it’s extremely difficult to for a human transformation into an animal without any repercussions and it is considered illegal a few centuries ago.” The moods of the Hannah and Barbara switched before they both balanced to a glare and smile.

Diana was about to conclude the argument till Amanda rose from her chair with a shout, the chair itself falling back as she moves closer to someone’s face. “Oh here we go…” Hannah sighed into her cup but she noticed the excited gleam in her eyes that something was happening.

“You don’t know what the Words are?” Amanda asked, clearly unaware of the silence in the room. Diana’s eyes widened as her posture peeked up, who didn’t know what the words are? It’s a fundamental base of history, millions of things happened just because of words defined by fate to be printed on their skin. Who on earth would be that ignorant of one the biggest things in Witch cultures.

When she registers Akko’s frazzled look and uncertainty she bites back the nerve to sigh in exasperation. Who else would it be but her?

Akko, gives a small sheepish glance at her and everyone else around who was looking in. It might have been an illusion created by her stumped mind but Diana swears she glanced at her too. “Um… is it that bad?”

Amanda bursts into laughter, falling back to her seat before her eyes widened. The sudden realisation that she can’t sit on an empty space hits her as she tumbles back to the ground causing everyone to laugh. The scene causes Hannah and Barbara to snicker, sending whispers to each other’s ears before laughing again. She is even aware that the corners of her lips perk up a bit.

“Lotte don’t bother describing it,” she hears Amanda speak again, grinning despite her fall as she steps up, undoing the cuffs of one of her sleeves. “It’s better to show her what it means than some textbook drivel.” This time the spoon in Diana’s hand clatters to the tray. Hannah and Barbara and maybe others gasped at the implication. Diana’s face was wide open in utter disbelief and shock.

She couldn’t believe it, Amanda O'Neil was showing her words. How reckless was she!? Anyone can pretend to be your lover if you know what the words say, it caused chaos time and time again when it goes wrong before you even found the bearer of the words.

“This o dunce, are the words.” Amanda grins, putting her arm on table with a flex. The words shimmering in red and hints of navy blue near the edges as everyone, including her gasped.

_“Red hair and a fiery attitude, you remind me a lot of an ancestor of my Dunbroch clan.”_

“Woah,” Akko gasped as she moves closer to stare at the words, one of the only few people not shocked by the entire ordeal. “That’s so cool.” Amanda smirks more, a slight tinge of embarrassment on her skin that she doesn’t acknowledge as she flexes the arm once again before she starts to pull down her sleeve.

“Yeah it is isn’t it, though my dad isn’t happy with the idea that I could end up with a Scottish person.” Amanda smiles as they delve into another conversation prompting everyone else to talk as well with what happened. She doesn’t pay much attention, her mind to fixated on the idea of showing her words to the public. Exposing it to all to judge. Despite the surprise and lack of social care, Diana had to applaud her. The thought of her doing something like that was suicidal to everything she would ever know. Just them being aware of her cursed colour is bad enough to warrant a repeat of history.

“Honestly it’s so disgusting though.” Someone speaks which snaps the dazed look on her face. Her heart pounds in her chest as the voice inside giggle and glee, finding power in the extreme words used. “She shows off the blue tint like she’s proud of it, really the colour is disgusting.” Her eyes jerk up, scanning around her to find the voice causing the torment in her mind. To see who to avoid and never speak to again. She also prays that it wasn’t someone she called her friends.

“Diana are you okay?” Hannah asks, causing her eyes to blink and to look at both Hannah and Barbara. “I’m fine.” Diana nods, though their expressions doesn’t change that much. “I just heard a rude comment of someone saying blue is disgusting.”

Hannah and Barbara’s face shift to betrayal and shock. Relief flooding her blood stream as the heart pulses back to a soft beat, though the voice finds motivation to speak more. She ignores it all, focusing on their appalled emotions as a distraction. “Now that comment is disgusting.” Hannah glowered as she looks around, tugging the blue ribbon on her waist.

Barbara nods as well, “Yeah they must be stupid or have no fashion sense to know that blue looks amazing.” She looks back at Amanda with a surprising soft look in her eyes. “Also it’s very rude to insult someone’s soulmate like that. It’s bad enough that she’s going to get so much in trouble just for showing it off.”

Diana looks at her mostly eaten breakfast, usually she would eat everything but now with these turns of events, she could hardly look at it. It left a hollow sound in her stomach an empty chamber where the spiders of doubt crawl around where her confidence was stood.“It appears that my appetite has gone, not surprising with what just happened.” She sighed as she looks at the two of them. “Shall we get going?”

**/-/**

Diana sighs into her hands as she buries her face in them, rubbing her weary eyes as she heaves another sigh of frustration. The usual methods of distraction weren’t even working anymore. The spell of comfort that school gave to her was tarnished, broken down to be rebuilt at night so that it can live the next day.

She breathed in and closed her eyes, listening to the sounds around her. Focusing on something, some noise in the silence to keep her mind busy. The pages of books being used, the ripple of magic in the air, the soft walks up and around the library, the smell of used ink and paper, the small singing flicker of the candle near her.

It’s all beautiful, like a natural dance that only the shadows of the night can pull off with the moonbeams shining through the curtained windows, the dull light reflecting off the metal banisters and railings. It is peaceful, claiming, tranquility in one image. But it doesn’t help. It’s too soft, too delicate for the violent cycle of torment that the brain puts her through. It shatters easily when the two words whisper like a poisoned lullaby in her ears.

“What if…” the voice crooned, making her shake her head as it ends the sentence with an image she wants to forget.

Diana lets out the heavy breath she’s holding in. A feeble attempt to expel the image in her mind that’s grown ever since the cafeteria. The shocking incident became a catalyst for her already disarrayed emotions as time passed.   
When afterwards they discussed what to do to help now that Amanda showed her words to the public. Though only to a few, at the time, words spread faster then anything else in Luna Nova. Each mouth used exaggerates the story than the last. Soon, it’s a walking rumour that Amanda O'Neil wears black words.

Already some effects have taken place, the isolation, how people talk about it behind her backs like snakes. They hiss plans of being there to support her using their words as a kind poison before stabbing her on the back with what they really think and who they really are. Even if she just had her blue navy tints with red.

She grateful for her friends, Hannah and Barbara who in spite of their opinion of Amanda and her wild ways, defend the colour of her words, often get into harsh criticism with students of a smaller thinking scale. Their entire day was spent doing damage control from the real trouble makers who wanted nothing than the misery of a wild but well meaning student of the school. Especially when the said person was placed into trouble for just causing social trouble for something that she couldn’t control. For controlling the minds of the people is an act known as dictatorship and even oppression.

Maybe it was practise for when she finally has the courage to tell them and maybe show them. Maybe everything would all change when the truth gets revealed.

Diana opened her eyes and shake her head. The voice is too loud for the silence she is in. She stands up, the world tilting a bit as she holds the desk for support. She swallows down the fragments of what happened movements ago, in some hopeful attempt to drown the voice out, her head fixated at her feet as she regains her composure.

Given time, she looks up, head turning to allow a mirage of a smile grace her lips when she realises that no one saw her near crisis. She doesn’t need to be scared of someone lurking in her shadows once again.

She stands straighter, no longer holding the desk for support as she looks up with her chin out, the usual neutral expression on her face. She breathes again as she walks around the library to get her bearings, to calm her down and remember that Amanda is going to be alright, even with the discrimination she has obtained. Also to reinforce herself that she isn’t a small child helpless to crude remarks based on the colour of her words. That she is Diana Cavendish. A name to be proud of.

Her steps are loud, even on the padded carpet, it sounds precise, cold but calming, like a beautiful design of clockwork. It’s a beat she can listen to, to drown her mind away once again. To her surprise there is no one but her feet softly echoing down the aisles of books.

Her face morphs into slight confusion, she heard footsteps before and the rustling of books, though they sounded distant they did exist. Unless her mind made them up but even then it’s not that smart to mimic one of the main senses, it’s also not cruel.

“Gah!” A voice, familiar from the distance yelled before the sound of a stampede echoed in the near empty room. A brown cloud of dust erupted from one of the further rows, one tucked away in the corner. Shaking her head in seeming annoyance, despite the joy of getting a job to do and a distraction, Diana walked towards the source.

Upon arriving, she couldn’t help but sigh at the sight. Books of all sizes were scattered on the ground, climbing over each other, some still on the desk as papers floated in the air, one landing on her feet as she looked at the source of the problem. A girl with brown hair, same colour of her eyes as she laughed with a sheepish smile, a small wave at her when she notices her presence. “Hey Diana…”

“Akko.” She sighed, crossing her arms against her chest at the girl who had the decency to look apologetic at the mess she made. “Why am I not surprised to find you in this state?”

“Um… I tripped?” Diana looked at her with a raised brow, tripped? The lie is obvious and Akko knows it when she smiled wryly at her, a paper landing on her face, making her to move and brush it off.

“First things first, are you alright?” Diana asked when she comes over and helps her up to her feet, dusting off the mess from her skirt and shirt. Books clattering again, making more of a mess but she doesn’t mind. The safety of Akko comes first.

Akko grins at her like nothing happened, like she didn’t cause a huge pile of books to fall on her, “I’m alright Diana,” she beams, before she looks around at the mess she made and chuckles nervously to herself. “I made a good mess didn’t I?”

Diana rolls her eyes as she too surveys the area, the damage is spread out but fortunately there isn’t much collateral damage. Gods know what she would do if she made bookshelf after bookshelf fall like dominoes. “Consider yourself lucky that it wasn’t much more than an aisle’s clean up.” She scoffed, picking up a spare piece of paper, and placing it on the desk. “Anymore would cause more hassle for you and if I wasn’t here maybe you could land yourself a detention.”

Akko blinks at her, seemingly stumped at her words. It sends a tic to Diana’s forehead as she looks at her with a blank expression. Does she not get that she’s here to help clean up the mess before a teacher comes by? “Well?” She asks causing Akko to blink more. Honestly this girl, Diana thought as she ignores the urge to face palm. “Are you going help me clean up your mess or not?” The word mess seems to trigger something, how Akko’s cheeks burn red as she hastily agrees, going to the furthest point to collect books that seemed to flew across the carpet.

They work in brief silence, putting Akko’s notes together first and putting them in a safe place before they work on the books. Mainly because they have to put it back on the shelf in various places. To ensure that they will be placed in the correct area, Diana finds the location whilst Akko holds the first set of books.

Diana notices the trend of the ‘Words’ information books or anything that has any affliction with them, even if it’s just minors details. She doesn’t comment on it though, she’s aware of Akko’s lack of knowledge and it’s pleasing to know that she’s learning from textbook than a backfired showcase.

“So why aren’t your teammates with you Akko?” Diana asks as she places a book up in the top shelf of a book row, her hand outstretched for another book as she looks down at Akko holding the ladder up, with the decency after the first mishap to look away.

“Oh they also got in trouble with the whole Words thing this morning,” Akko says casually as she holds out the book with her eyes closed. Diana collects it, a slight pause in her step before she continues in her task.

“Really? What did they do wrong unless it was a mutual punishment?” She understands why the members of the green team suffer from a punishment, they let their teammate show her words in public without any attempt to stop it and remind her that doing so without finding the bearer of the words is against the school policy. Only if you have find out who owns the words on your arm and with their consent may you show the words and the colours it holds.

“If your words mean that their presence got them involved too then yes.” Akko blinks as Diana puts her hand down, fighting back a tired sigh or yawn to escape her lips. “I only managed to get out because I apparently wasn’t aware of the social etiquette, what ever that means and was I told to fully understand the form and colour and their meanings of the 'Words’.” She explains as she hands the last book to her before she steps back and rubs her neck. “But I still don’t get what the words mean…”

Diana looks at her, placing the book back before looking around them. No one yet and they were already done which was a good thing. She stifled a yawn from her as she walks down, blinking her eyes alert when her foot touches the solid reassurance of the ground. “What is it that you don’t get?” Diana asks, curiosity in her words as she steps away from the ladder. “I always found the terminology to be quite simple.” She heard Akko mumble something under her breath as she turns her head from her. “What did you say?”

She notices how Akko’s body froze in an instant. She looks further down, hand moving across her arm as she shuffles forward. “I said that’s because you’re perfect.” She mumbles a bit louder causing Diana’s eyes to widen a bit, fully snapping them out of their slumber. A touch of internal heat grazing her cheeks. “I mean you’re perfectly smart,” Akko laughs, a bit of nerves in her tone. “Like you always get really good grades and stuff, but that doesn’t mean you’re not good at other things-”

“I understand where you’re coming from.” Diana says, looking away from the floundering mess in front of her. “Well since we got enough time, I’ll help you with what you don’t get. I’ll put my perfectly smart skill to the test.” She says with a small laugh before the realisation hits her as she walks back to the desk with her notes.

She’s going to be teaching about the words. There is a high chance that they might delve into the colour scheme and that would mean black could be involved as well. She swallows down the fear building in her chest as her expression hardens. 'Just a few questions’ she repeats in her head. 'Nothing more’

Though she can’t help but shake a bit when the voice in her mind laughs and despite everything telling to calm down, she can’t help but notice the undying fear of what would happen next.


	3. Chapter 3~ Meanings

Diana never thought it would come now. She knew it would happen eventually but the words, the questions haven’t even begun. It all triggered just by seating down on Akko’s desk, her eyes drifting to the notes piled neatly together. It’s when the voice chants it’s curse, the chorus of questions that seems so stupid but dearly realistic. That it knows the future, that each horrid scene it plays can happen.

It’s causes her to lean on the bookcase next to her, her back slouched, her eyes breaking the facade of confidence she always wear. She’s so tired, of everything. The way the spiders crawl over her bones, their trails cutting the nerves in her body. It makes her numb, unable to hear anything, unable to feel anything but the laughter of voice trapped inside her mind, under the shackles of what should be Luna Nova’s spell, it’s manacles shattered through wear. It’s clinging to her like a parasite, the fear, the anxiety, the chaos that’s happening right now over some small endeavour.

“Hey Diana,” Diana looks over at Akko, a concerned frown on her face, her big doe eyes moving closer to her. “Are you okay?” She says it with such sincerity it makes her want to smile. So she does, in a confident way that makes her look like this is just a minor problem, that it’s not something she doesn’t know how to control. Where she only knows how to minimise the damage after the disaster pasts.

“My back just hurts.” She lies through her teeth. It’s a terrible excuse. She knows it and with the look Akko pulls Diana knows she knows it as well. Yet Akko just nods her head and walks off, not even bothering to call her out on her lies nor question her further. “Akko?” She calls, confusion in her voice as she watches her turn the corner of a bookshelf, away from her vision. Instantly she slumps further into the bookcase, the hard linings of the books prick her spine like a cactus. She hears the soft steps of walking again and her mind perks up.

Before it falls, stumped on the sheer disbelief Akko is putting her through. In her hands are throw pillows, cushions that seemed so soft from the distance. Her mouth is probably open with shock but she doesn’t care, acting more human was the least she could do for her.

Akko stops, a few spaces between them, burying her face against the pillows as her eyes dart to the corners. “Have this,” she smiles at her as pushes a pillow out towards her, most of her face still covered. Diana glances her a thankful smile, scraps of guilt laying in her stomach as the idea surfaces that Akko got this for her because she lied. She ignores it all when their hands touch and in a brief sensation a spark ignites between them.

They both let go as it drops on the table, a few notes scattering around the desk but nothing more. “Sorry about that, this should help your back, since I know how books are really uncomfortable to rest on…” Akko quickly says before it swerves off to a ramble when she picks it up and shoves it close to her face that Diana couldn’t even see Akko. Diana blinks at the sudden rush of pastel colours going to her face before getting it, a soft smile on her face as adjusting it behind her.

Sinking into the cushion she watches with a small smirk on her lips, amused at Akko rambling, one hand holding on to the extra pillow and the other moving to her explanation. She isn’t even looking at her. She’s just pulling expressions Diana never knew existed, nor she knew how amusing they are to watch.

“Akko,” she calls after a minute of staring has passed. Akko paused mid way, the colour of pink tickles her cheeks as she laughs sheepishly at her. “Thank you for the pillow, it’s quite comfortable.” Akko blinks, a another set of uneasy chuckles from her as she scratches her cheeks and mumbles something under her breath. Diana laughs in her head, one that wasn’t filled with mockery and escalated dark thoughts. It was peaceful, it was a like a light breeze flutters inside her. It made her feel at ease, a rare moment so brief in her cluttered mind.

“So,” Diana begins, clearing her throat as Akko sits down in front of her, her back also leaning on a pillow. “Where to start?” She sighs, eyes glossing over Akko’s notes as she feels the unwanted comment of a familiar voice. The laughter before was a needed wake up call to make her function but still was too weak for her own dark thoughts.

“Umm, are you sure you want to start now?” Akko asks, fiddling with her hands on top of the desk. Diana pauses her reading to look at her.

“If you’re concerned about time, I assure you we have enough time to get through most things before we breach curfew.” Diana explains, turning over a piece of paper and began writing a few ancient words that Akko seemed to miss.

“But it’s really late and you look really tired.” Akko reasons, her face pulling a light frown. Her eyes shining like stars with such kindness Diana never truly seen before when she looks up at her briefly before she writes again.

“I appreciate the concern but as I said before we have plenty of time.” She says, almost finished writing what she needs. “And on the account we miscalculated, I’ll give a reasonable excuse on why.” She finishes as she pushes the paper towards her. Confusion on her face as Akko looks at her flabbergasted a second time tonight. “Is there something on my face?” Diana asks with a deadpan look. “If there isn’t then we should begin unless you want to deliberately want to go into curfew.”

Akko blinks, shaking her head like a puppy to rid of her tired thoughts before she reads the text in front of you. “Um Diana… what are these words next to the colours?”

Diana fights the urge to blank her as she looks at her, remembering who she was dealing with. “Those are the formal names of the words.”

“Right.” Akko nods, determined eyes scan the rest of the diagrams before they falter and turn into slight confusion. “Diana? Why are there four of them?”

“How much did you actually get from those books?” Diana asked with stunned surprise, the forgotten knowledge of the Words’ names were a given but surely they must’ve talked about the different words types? Not everyone’s set of words are the same. She knows that fact well enough.

“I learnt a lot but I didn’t get some of them because they had really hard phrases I didn’t understand and there wasn’t any glossary or anything.” Akko said with a content look on her face that Diana has seen before but surely Akko wasn’t one to make such a careless mistake? Her mind instantly flashes back to one of them books, a book glittered with stars, the title being a Latin one that made her re-read to make sure she it was what it was.

Automatically her hand was on her face, eyes closed in disbelief. “Tell me Akko was one of the books we returned called: ‘ _Astra inclinant, sed non obligant’_?”

Her eyes opened, peeking between her fingers as Akko squeals at the name. “You’ve read it!?”

Her excitement only drives Diana to sigh louder as she looks at her with an annoyed expression. “Yes I’ve read it, most girls here has read ’ _The stars incline us, they do not bind us.’_ It’s a classic romance fiction novel.”

Akko looks at her like a dear in the headlights, the squealing died at her throat as she sat back down in her seat. “Have you read any information books on the words at all?” Diana asks, her fingers pinching the bridge of her nose. Akko says nothing but that in turn says everything.

“Okay, at least I know what I’m dealing with,” Diana says as she compose herself, writing something else on another paper.

“Historians argue that the concept of words, the sentence that links us with each other defined by fate has always been existed. But the first people to fully document the idea was the people in Ancient Greece, but more importantly a witch. Their name is lost through times as the culture didn’t approve of such findings as it didn’t work within their belief of Gods, since none of them were shown with words on their skin.”

Diana looked up at from her note writing to the sound of scribbles of a pencil, Akko was writing down as much as she could before she looked back at her to continue.

“Still, the said witch noted that whenever she looked at people, she saw words on their arms but split into five different main colours. The colours she saw that were common she labelled and named appropriately.” Diana explained, surprised at the speed of Akko’s writing before she sets her pencil down and fully looks at her.

“The colours are shown here,” Diana says, pointing at the notes that she previously wrote before:

_**Words with a red main colour (Eros)** ~ Often associated with romantic/ sexual attraction and connection._

_**Words with a blue main colour (Phileo)** ~ Often associated with platonic and friendly attraction and connection._

_**Words with a green main colour (Agape)** ~ Often associated with unconditional love and an unwavering connection and loyalty._

_**Words with a purple main colour (Storge)** ~ Often associated with family relations and an unwavering family bond._

“As you know there are many different versions of love hence why there are different ways to connect to different people. Though most would only recall Eros as it is the most common and none of the others though Phileo has been getting some recent attention.” Diana mused as Akko began to write more stuff down.

“How does one get Words?” Akko questions as she looks up at her briefly. Diana bit her lip, she can hear a rumble inside her but she closes it off. It’s a harmless question and should remain like that. It was bound to happen eventually.

“No one is really sure when they come in our lives,” Diana sighs as she leans back into her cushion, staring into the night sky in a window near her. “They don’t appear at a specific date or birthday and often people get a new set of words when they grow up, like a mother with a Eros words can have Agape words on her arms the morning after her child’s birth.

The only thing we are aware of that is concrete is that the words don’t appear until it’s passed your 4th birthday. When most children would be able to remember the face and who said the words if they heard it be spoken to them that isn’t a parent.

Furthermore most people who can see the words are witches and people who has magic attributes or is exposed to magic over a period of time. But don’t just assume you aren’t affected by the power of the words because you don’t have them exposed on your skin.

Witches often debate that the words are a small fragment of our souls and it’s a just a call to attract the missing part of our soul which is trapped within the other person’s words/ soul. The words is just a synonym of the term soulmate.

Often it’s misunderstood knowledge that only witches or any magic knowing person has and is affected by the words but everyone is connected to the power. Often witches would find their words be spoken by a non magical human.

They only difference between a non magical person and a witch is that a witch is aware of the words’ power and has enough power to force it from their souls and onto their skin to make the attraction to each other easier. A non magical person would just feel butterflies and the possible love at first sight.”

Diana lets out big sigh of breath after a huge explanation. She hasn’t even delved into the history of how these discoveries were found and only revealed the basics but it was enough to make her be breathless. She looked to Akko, eyes widening a bit with shock as she is still writing.

“Love at first sight…” Diana hears Akko mumbles as she finishes the paragraph, dropping the pencil to the paper as she crumbles on her notes. “My hand hurts so much, how do you even manage it Diana?” Akko whines, looking at the hand like a bruised puppy. Diana sighs, looking at the hand briefly before glancing at her notes, instantly finding the problem.

“Well, I for one don’t write word for word. I merely paraphrase what I heard into a simpler text.” Diana explains as she watches Akko nursing her hand as if it was a child. “I also use my other hand if the other is tired.”

Akko’s eyes darts from her hand to Diana, shock once again present in them. “You can write with both?” Diana smiles at her as she nods. It’s a personal trophy to her being a self taught ambidextrous, even if she had to learn it the hard way growing up.

Akko whines again, planting her face on her sleeves as she mumbles something to them that Diana couldn’t even hear. Her head shifts and Diana just catches her eyes, matching her gaze with a brow raised that spoke her curiosity more than her eyes did.

Like a spell, Akko rose and started to shift through her notes giving themselves some breathing space and time for hand to recover a bit before she launches into another set of information. Using the time, Diana turned to her note writing, finishing off the details of what’s inside when Akko speaks again.

“So Diana, looking at my notes it says that if someone was exposed to magic long enough then they are capable of gaining words themselves right?” Akko asks, Diana nods her mouth opening to further explanations before it’s cut off with a high pitched squeal and Akko hugging her notes rather tightly.

“So that means I can get words too right? Like all the other witches?” Diana’s mind stops all together as she looks at Akko with widened eyes. Does she not have words? Akko looks at her, catching the sudden atmosphere change and makes another nervous laugh, her shoulders hunching together as her posture slouches. “Is it bad social etiquette to say that in public?”

Diana blinks back into conscious, coughing into her fist as she looks away from Akko. She knows that she is blushing, she can feel the fire rise in her cheeks. “It’s not as bad compared to what happened in the cafeteria but saying the status of your words is a very personal… and serious thing to do, especially if it was a one on one interaction.” Diana explains, looking to the ground, contemplating on the sudden turn of events.

“The condition of your words is should just shared between close, family members,” she continues, emphasising the mistake she made in hopes Akko won’t ever repeat it, “Close friends and the person who says the words… It’s a privilege that only a few of the people is aware of especially if you haven’t found your soulmate for a lack of a better terms. Only the best people in your eyes should know what it is…” Also by admitting what your words are is another form of confessing your love for each other but Diana wasn’t going to say that to her. If she did there would be two blushing girls and no work done.

“Alright so it’s okay then.” Akko says with a hint of relief making Diana glance at her before it morphs into face of guilt. “Was the cafeteria deal that bad?”

The sober atmosphere returns causing her blush to fade quickly as she looks at Akko’s guilty face. A brief circuit of memories fly by in her head, fast enough that she can just remember the overview of it instead of it being slow enough to be caught by the voice and be exploited to torture her further.

“In all honesty, what happened at the cafeteria was bad to some degree but it was more shocking than terrible.” Diana shifted as she looked back at the window, now staring at the green glow of the stone. “It’s the people who wanted to make it to be worse that escalated the deal to be as bad as it is now, fortunately we have been able to do some damage control to the whole ordeal and made an end to most rumours.”

Akko nods, a small smile returning to her face as she grins at her. “Thanks for doing that by the way, Amanda really appreciates it.”

Diana grants her a brief smile. “That’s good to know, though we won’t be able to do much about such small thinking colourist idiots, they need to think bigger in order to change.” Akko contagious giggles makes her grin grow wider. “Tell Amanda that if they continue that they are liable to be ‘done in’ as she speaks, under constant harassment of another student. It should deter most from being rude to her and its more easier to do rather than letting her fists talk for her.”

Akko nods at her, writing a quick note and placing inside her bag. “How can she fully stop the bullying though?”

“You can’t, you never can…” the voice in her head hisses at her before Diana can even speak.

Her head shivers as she puts the words down, focusing on Akko’s brown eyes as a distraction. “She needs to find her soulmate,” she says without skipping a beat. “It’s then and only then, the exposure of her words would be normally accepted and turned into a past memory/ mistake.”

“But how do you know?” Akko asks, “How can you tell?”

“Her heart will be lifted to the high heavens, filled with euphoria and then the gravity of it all will force her heart down and crush it to several pieces.” The voice giggles to itself before Diana could even process the question.

She swallows down a deep breath of air, her eyes glancing at her right sleeve before she looks at her fiddling hands. “I don’t really know… I never experienced it.” 'And never will’ she repeats as a mantra lording over the voice. “They say the colour scheme would be the same if not similar, it would be your handwriting on their skin. But it terms of feelings, I am as intelligent as you are Akko.”

Akko looks at her once again, writing something on her notes before glancing up with confusion. “So what happens if the colours are mixed? Like Amanda’s is red and tinted with blue.”

Diana gave her a knowing smile as she pointed to the notes she gave earlier and wasn’t acknowledged yet. “I knew this question would come up, I would say it’s the most difficult thing to remember in terms of colours and meanings.”

**/-/**

_It’s becoming more common that some words have more than one colour. Due to this, they are have been called layered words. Words that have layers of colours. But remember: Each sub colour is different when paired with a main colour. Furthermore the variety of sub colours are still being studied as of today so the information is not fully complete._

_**When red is the main colour:** _

_Blue- There would be trouble and conflict that would happen with the union of the two of you._

_Green- Unconditional love_

_Amber- You are not the only one chasing after your soulmate._

_Purple- There is more than one person that can match as your soulmate. Also you can have more than one romantic soulmate._

_**When Blue is the main colour:** _

_Red- You can be best friends that can turn into lovers if the option arrives_

_Green- You can be best friends with someone who will gets on your nerves but you can’t live without them. (*Refer to Yin and Yang attractions and polar opposites attracts relativity)_

_Amber- You will be best friends that will be similar to you, similar taste, style, hobbies and quirks._

_Purple- You can have more than one person to be your bestest friend._

_**When Purple is the main Colour:** _

_Blue- You gain a family of friends_

_Green- Family will always show unconditional love and support_

_Amber- Your best friends will be seen as family_

_**When Green is the main colour:** _

_Yellow- Unconditional love of an animal companion_

_Red- This unconditional love can become a romantic love as well_

_The only common things between the Eros, Agape, Storge and Phileo is that whenever there is a white tint it implies that the person has died and will gradually fade the words away as time passes or if you forget about them._

_Also that the darker the tint the more of that meaning will happen or apply._

_How much of the words is tinted shows how long it the sub meaning would apply._

_An example of both is Amanda’s colour scheme. She has a small navy blue tint- it implies that there would big fight and conflict but after that it would work out._

_Furthermore, you can have more than just a double layer (two colours only). Though it would be difficult to explain without a diagram._

_On a 3 layered word, the main colour would be the one at the top like blue, then if the colour below that would the first sub colour. For instance, green- it would imply that they will a contradicting best friend. Then following that would be another sub colour but shorter in length so it won’t last as long as the other colour. For instance, if the colour was red it would imply that the contradicting best friends has a limited chance to fall in love with each other._

_**/-/** _

“Woah…” Akko exclaimed after reading the full thing. “That’s a lot to remember.” Diana nods with a heavy sigh. “Indeed, I actually found it quite difficult to remember as well when I researched it. Especially as new colour meanings are being added each day.”

“Yeah,” Akko mused before her head perked up. “But what about the other colour?”

Diana’s heart stopped altogether. The voice’s laughter echoes around her brain. It makes her pause, a shaky smile as she looks at her. “What other colour?” She lies again. She knows what colour she’s talking about. It haunts her every move, made her fear her own shadow for snakes that linger there. She hides it everyday like a bad scar on her skin. The cursed colour of black.

She hears the spreading of paper, the ripples that cut her like a knife. “You said that the old geek woman noticed 5 different colours, what was the fifth one?” Diana’s vision shakes a bit, her eyes blink in fast motion. She can’t speak. She can’t even breath. Words to tell Akko to stop becomes lodged in her throat, nothing can come in and out of her but the booming laughter that cackles inside her.

“Is it the colour black? Because I heard rumours about it being Amanda’s but I don’t know why? Is it a bad colour?” Akko continues, obvious to the pain she’s making her go through. The constant laughter makes her feel light headed. She wants to scream but nothing but frustrating silence comes out.

It’s decided. She needs to get out. She needs to leave before the voice corrupts her entire system and forces her to cradle herself with tears of pain that makes her deal with it for another 12 hours.

Diana leaves her chair, holding her head up in one final charade as she prays that her legs won’t give away the crushing weight inside her. “Diana?” Akko calls for her. Diana doesn’t turn to her, too scared that she can see the crippled person inside. Too scared to see the cause of everything that is happening.

“Having black words are curse in the society and I say you should run from them if you ever met one!” Diana calls back, her voice growing hoarse with each word that spits the venom she injects herself with. She leaves the library, turning the corner before breaking into a fast run to the nearest closet space.

A familiar setting for a familiar breakdown

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will probably make a summary of the terms used in the future, also holy shit it went past the 4k word mark. This is a first for me.


	4. Chapter 4~Memories

Diana’s vision swirled in a spiral of chaos. The world tilted, shaking left to right in slow nauseous motions. She focused on the rasp breathing on her knees as she tightens the grip around them. Her knuckles clenched white to the hem of her skirt.

She sits there, back against the cold white walls of a janitor’s closet, a loose bulb dangles from the ceiling, illuminating the small cramped room. Her knees are bent, touching her chest as her hands clasp around them to form a hollow hug that she desperately needs.

Diana’s face no longer holds the charade she needed to pull before everything broke down inside of her. The mask was shattered by the sudden shut of the door when she entered. Her emotions of wear and fatigue became clear on her face as she collapsed in the corner of the room and pleaded in hush sobs against her hands.

“Shut up…” She whispers to air as she tugs her hair, pulling the blonde strands to cover her ears. To box the voices out as her body naturally curled into a tighter protective cradle. But it doesn’t work.

“Shut up!” She repeats, louder this time. Her eyes clenching in fierce desperation as her head falls to her knees. She is so tired that she can’t pull it back out as her breathing stutters into ragged gulps of air. Her clothes felt damp as she buries her head within them, in pathetic attempt to suffocate the voice that cackles into many more.

Voices that turn high pitch, to squeaky sounds of children, to the naive cackles and the haughty opinion of all those around her. Voices whose screams linger around her like a plague, voices from a lost childhood. She clenches her eyes as the room spins once more. Darkness enveloping her as the shattered remains of tear stained memories resurface once more.

**/-/**

_“Come on Diana let us see!”_

_Diana smiled at them with a cautious tone, her hand covering the sleeves of her right arm. The five year old was wearing a long sleeved shirt that seemed to boil her under the hot afternoon sun. “I would love to but my father said I shouldn’t.”_

_“But it’s really hot outside, you’re going to die if you keep your sleeves on.” One of the girls said, with her eyes shifting from Diana’s face to her arm._

_Diana turned her body to find an escape from their nosy gazes before Diana gasped in a soft manner as she finds herself surrounded by others, all with the same predatory glances girls can make. “Um…then I’ll go inside.” She pushes through a small gap between two of them. In an instant she feels a tug to her hair as she yelps in pain as she is pulled back into the circle._

_She tries not to cry as she pats her hair gently with the other hand but she can tell from their grins that like all monsters, they can smell the fear on her. “Come on Diana, just one peak, we’ll promise to not tell anyone else.” Another one with a taller build croons near her. Diana’s form becomes smaller as her shoulders hunch together, her head looking down at her arm, her hand gripping the spot tightly._

_“I told you my father said no.” Diana repeats, louder this time with a fierce glare. Instead of a worried glance to travel around them, the group of girls bursted into laughter as they towered over her tiny form. Diana instantly bolted for the nearby space. Her breath becoming haggard as her little legs ran as fast as they could. But not enough for one of them to grab her by the arm, another grabbing the other as they both picked her up. Diana flayed her limbs around as the third came over and pulled her sleeve back._

_Diana clenched her eyes as the rolling paused followed by a sharp gasp. Somehow she felt that it would lessen the pain as an onslaught of words attacked her. “You plague spawn!” One of them screamed as they threw her to the ground before they ran. The heels of their feet kicked back dust causing Diana to curl her body like a cocoon. Her body aches but nothing hurts more than the tears stinging the cut on her face._

_The setting changes with a blur of motion. The hot killing sun changed to the silver whites of a crescent moon, blue skies with the litters of clouds morph to a sparkling dark canvas with speckles of star dust and constellations._

_Diana was a bit older, age ten. She was no longer incapable of defending herself from bullies, she dressed and acted with a hint of refined taste. Still, leaning against a window with her hair covering her sides to hide the agony on her face she can’t help but feel the horrible scars of the past bite back again._

_Her body fought back the urge to cry, she wasn’t going to cause a scene at a party. Not even if it would mean an easy way out of this den of whispering snakes and backstabbers. Her eyes close as she releases a sad sigh, her hand rubbing her long sleeved arm before she opens them. She peers through the glass, her sunken eyes harden when she sees the silhouette of a unwanted figure approach in the reflection._

_“Why am I not surprised to see you sulking here again Diana?” Andrew asked. Diana didn’t need to see the glint of amusement in his eyes nor the slight smirk on his reflected face to know he was going to enjoy every second of this conversation._

_Diana sighed, turning around with a hard glare of disinterest and passive hate, “What are doing here Andrew?” Andrew gave her a pitying glance, towering over her like the people back in the ballroom. She hated this, even more, she hated him._

_“Just trying to really figure out what’s so useful about magic?” He answered, “This night just seem to prove it’s worthless value. Thanks for showing it by the way.”_

_Diana gave him a hard look, her lips forming an ugly frown as her eyes narrow into a sharp, killing stare. “Get out Andrew. I don’t want to discuss anything with you.”_

_“I know you don’t,” Andrew quipped as he stood there, his feet apart in a firm manner. “But I wish to discuss with you. I’m perfectly fine with you just listening.”_

_“I however don’t want to listen to you anymore tonight.” Diana gave him one last look before excusing herself from his sight. She scowls under her breath as she hears footsteps echo behind her._

_“I’m just curious, why do wish to stay in a community who hates you as much as they fear you?” Andrew asked but she can hear the mockery in his voice that was masked by his charade of concern. “I understand that the whole magic ordeal is a bit creepy but you would never find someone who would ever be nice to you within there. At least not after the incidents.” Her heart twisted against itself, her eyes forced to close as she walks faster. The ugly truth of his words hitting her more than the comments from other witches._

_“I mean wouldn’t it be better not to be a witch? That way you can hide your pathetic words.” Diana stopped. Her body seethed of violent energy, her fist clenched tight, her nails sinking into the palm of her hands as she turns around to him. “I mean, it makes perfect sense on why your words are what they are since both of you are isolated from your so called amazing society.”_

_“If you will continue to harass Diana anymore I will gladly show you what it’s like to be kicked out of your own home.” A voice spoke in the tense atmosphere. The deafening clicks of heels against the flooring lingered in the air as another figure walks in. She had ivory white skin, golden curled hair that rest on her shoulders. Fierce ice blue eyes that lock straight away with Andrew’s bottle green as they pulse a hint of fear before it steadied and hardens into a mirroring glare._

_“Elizabeth.” He spits with forced politeness._

_“Andrew.” Elizabeth speaks with the same forced tone. She walks behind Diana, her eyes not leaving his as Andrew shifted in unease. Instantly Diana felt her anger subsided as Elizabeth placed a hand on her shoulder. “Surely you know it’s rude to continue to approach a girl after they say no.”_

_Andrew’s face deepens to a frown before all emotions are wiped clean as a neutral cold face appears instead. “Do still wish to attend that pathetic witch school at early spring Elizabeth?” He asked, ignoring her comment from before._

_“If it keeps me away from the likes of you I would rather go earlier.” Elizabeth replies. “I would hate for my intelligence to diminish with such narrow-minded people like yourself.”_

_“If there was any intellectual in your mind then it was already gone the moment you decided to join Luna Nova.”_

_“If there was any intellectual in yours then you would learn not to mess with a witch and stop provoking them.” Elizabeth rebutted back, this time with small smirk. “Though I find the idea of you being turned into an animal quite amusing so if you do wish to continue being a terrible host I would gladly entertain myself on your behalf.”_

_Andrew’s face turned pale at the hidden threat, even when there is a neutral expression on their face. “Very well then, I will have this opportunity to take my leave. Goodnight ladies.” He bowed stiffly as he stalked back the way he came._

_“Asshole.” Elizabeth hisses near her causing Diana to jump a bit. Elizabeth’s face softens as she crouches down to look at Diana. “You alright there little Dana?”_

_Diana nods, “Can I have a hug Elizabeth?” Elizabeth smiles at her as she pulls her close._

_Diana buries her head against her neck, fully absorbing the kind embrace. “Don’t listen to any words he says okay or anyone else’s. You’ll find someone who isn’t just for the money or the power and will be there just because they want to be your friend okay?” Diana nodded her head, a soft smile hidden in their embrace as Elizabeth continues to speak. “Even then I’ll still be here.”_

_Worry clashes inside her as Diana pulls back, tears on the rim of her eyes as she looks up at her cousin. “What if I actually hurt you, like Andrew says I would?”_

_Elizabeth’s shoulders slacken as she pushes Diana’s hair out of her face and kisses her forehead. “You would never hurt me Diana-”_

_“I’ve had enough!” Diana, this time aged 12, flinches as the booming angry voice of her uncle as she curls up more in the corners of the family library._

_The memory switched once again. A sudden transition that makes kills her knowing what branch of hell she’s walking into._

_She focused on the words of ancient Dragonese, reading past manuscripts and to make notes to help her be distracted. It was something Elizabeth told her about to help her cope, the same one the adults are talking about a floor below her._

_“Now Charles, don’t be like this.” Her father ushered in a soft muffle. Their conversation dulls a bit but she can imagine what’s going on. Her uncle raging near the fireplace, throwing down papers pulled from his various pockets to back up his point, shouting to make his points heard to her. Her father is near him calming him down the best way a brother could whilst her mother is looking at the sidelines only involved if her patience is dwindled and her anger rises from her blood. Then her father shuts up and lets her talk the stage._

_“Elizabeth almost died in that school,  
I have every right to be like this! If it wasn’t for that new Astronomy teacher- I don’t even want to know what would happen. ” Her uncle screams again. The mention of Elizabeth’s name jolts her handwriting. Diana looks down to see the mistake only to see her hand trembling with immense fear._

_“It’s all your daughter’s fault!” The air is sucked from her lungs as the pen clatters on her notes. Her breathing shakes as she hugs herself close, whispering words in dragonic as a calming chant. “Elizabeth has been targeted the moment she defended her lot. That’s how her broom malfunctioned and that’s why it’s Diana’s fault.”_

_“Diana has done nothing wrong and you know it.” Her mother speaks with a cold frosty tone she only reserves for rude business men and people she loathed._

_“You know what’s wrong with Diana and everyone knows it.”_

_Diana’s heart turned against itself, agony suffocating her lungs as she takes a cushion near her and pushes it up against her face. She couldn’t have done it. She would never intend to hurt Elizabeth, but does that mean she could? Is he telling the truth? She glances at her arm, the black words shining against the candle light._

_There was a sudden crash below her snapping her out of her thoughts as silenced followed before the muffled certain voice of her mother carried through the floors._

_“Nothing is wrong with her. Don’t let me ever hear you say that in front of me or I swear-” Her mother raged_

_“Then I won’t.” Her uncles snaps in a sharp tone before a loud sigh follows. “I’m moving my family to France next month.” Something died in Diana’s throat as a straggled cry left her lips. “I think it’s not safe for Elizabeth to be anywhere near her or in England for that matter.” His voice sounded tired, dejected. It was like he had no other choice. But that didn’t stop the tears to flow from her eyes as she blubbered into her cushion._

_“So she is not safe to be around? Is that what you’re implying Charles!?”_

_“No I’m not implying Olivia, I know that Diana is not safe to be around. I understand that you maybe blinded by a mother’s love but can’t stay blind to the curse of her words and it’s impact on others.” His word shattered her heart, breaking it so much that it’s fragments became thorns on her body. It made felt so much worse than slurs thrown across the room to her by strangers._

_“She is not a curse!”_

_Diana shook her head. It was her fault. It was all her fault. Her mother may be blind but she isn’t, she looks at herself everyday. Maybe if she wasn’t born Elizabeth would live a better life, maybe she doesn’t need to leave the country she grew up with just for safety._

_“Then tell me something that she isn’t! Elizabeth loved her like a sister and she was almost killed. Before that the company nearly went into bankruptcy. Even magic has decreased since her birth!” Their voices faded away from her and despite herself Diana moved with their footsteps. She wanted to know everything, even if it killed her._

_“Don’t you dare blame all of that on Diana! She’s only 12 she doesn’t understand anything.”_

_“Diana is one the brightest witches I have ever met, she has the potential to understand everything.” Her uncle sighed as she heard the front door open._

_It’s only when she goes to the window she hears the horrible chucking of rain pelting their house. The glass chilled her hands as she wiped the fog around it to get a better view yet the pellets still tarnished her view. Her head screamed to not push forward, to just try and believe that it was all a dream but her heart felt too much pain to know it never was. Even her nightmares don’t cause this much heart ache, but maybe that’s she has the comfort of waking up to the knowledge that wasn’t reality._

_With her shaking hands and the tears clogging up her throat, Diana only just manages to spell the window open. The rain was dark, it’s sound like a mix of raw anger and sadness that Diana found slight comfort knowing she wasn’t the only one feeling it tonight._

_“I love my daughter… I don’t want her life to be even more ruined because she’s been involved with Diana’s.”_

_She only saw a glimpse of her uncle, the greying hair and the slap mark against his cheeks before he went into a taxi and never came back. The sudden confirmation of what just happened burst through the initial shock as Diana leaned against the open sill, the rain drops giving the knowledge that she was alive. That this was reality. But inside, she just wished she didn’t exist._

**/-/**

Diana opened her eyes with a startle breath. The air was warm instead of cold, her back didn’t ache like it should’ve. She was on a bed, soft pillows surrounding with blanket decorated with the night sky. It was comfortable compared to her horrid walk down memory lane. But that only meant one thing.

She was moved. She was seen.

Diana torn the blanket from her as she sat up, her blue eyes darting from one place to another as her hand jumped to where her wand usually was only to find it missing. Diana looked down, sighing in subtle relief that her sleeves weren’t rolled up.

“Diana?” Her head jerked up, eyes in defensive stance as she brings her arms forward only for them to falter at the sight of Professor Ursula with a guilty smile. It’s only then she falls back on the bed, relief flowing through every bone.

“I made some tea if you were interested in having some.” Ursula said, setting two cups and a pot on her small table, causing Diana to sit up a bit, stumped by her casual attitude. How does deal with this? Does she plaster the remains of her charade or does she break and open up? “I’m quite surprised you woke up now, it’s very early in the morning.”

Diana looks at her, worry circling in her stomach as she slowly fixes her crumpled uniform before she leaves the bed. “It’s quite usual for me to wake up at this time Professor.” Diana admits just to fill the silent space around them. She musters up the broken cracks of her mask as she sits opposite her but she knows some pieces are still falling.

The silence between them was slowly becoming comforting, Professor Ursula never asked and Diana didn’t feel the need to explain herself but the unclear emotions inside her still lingered. It wasn’t long enough her to break. “Professor Ursula, if I may, how did you find me?”

Professor Ursula gave her a warm smile as she put down her cup. “I didn’t, Alcor did.” She gave a nod to the bird on the stand, all bundled up with his head bobbing to the beat of his snores. “I started to look for you however when Akko came to me distressed that she made you upset. Since I assured my favourite student that I’ll make sure you’ll be fine when you return I had no choice but to look.”

Diana frowned in her cup. “A good teacher shouldn’t have favourites.”

Professor Ursula gave a knowing smile. “It’s a good thing then that Elizabeth wasn’t a full student.”

Diana’s eyes widened as she spluttered in her cup, almost doing a spit take before she caught herself. “You know Elizabeth?” She asked, disbelief written all over her face.

Ursula nodded as she looked at her cup, face lost in nostalgia. “One of the first people I taught actually, we met again in France and kept in touch. She made me promise that I would make sure you’re doing alright after the wedding.”

An uneasy smile graced Diana’s face as her hands fiddled with the handle. “Are you aware of the reasons why?”

Ursula shook her head letting Diana release a breath she didn’t knew she held. “She never told me and I never asked.” She reaches out and holds Diana’s hand. “Are you okay now Diana? I’m not just asking for Elizabeth but for my own worries as well.”

Diana looked at herself, a glance to her arm as she nods. “I’m better than what I felt last night if that’s what you’re implying.” It wasn’t the full truth but truth none the less, she hasn’t heard the voice yet but some effects of fatigue still leeched on her body.

Professor Ursula nods, a brief smile on her face as she looks at her. “That’s good to hear. I always want you to know Elizabeth is very proud of whatever you’re doing and that she loves you. That she doesn’t blame you for anything and that if you need a place to go her arms are always open.”

Diana’s eyes shut as early morning tears fell to her tea. She smiles as Ursula rushes her and gives her a hug. Elizabeth is too good for her. Then again that’s you get for having an Agape word type loving you. Elizabeth tells her so many ideas to help her get through this life but Diana wonders if she knows she’s the best comfort she ever has.

Like a breath of warm sun on her skin or seeing a picture of a cute animal, the hug makes Diana’s heart seems to float inside her. For the first time in a while she feels like she can say that she can take on the world and mean it.


	5. Chapter 5~ Surprises

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Came out a little bit later on the week because I had a bit of a writer's block concerning if the actions they do is in character. Anyways enjoy!

“Diana!”

Barbara and Hannah screamed as Diana opened the door. Diana’s eyes widened as she was yanked into the room by Hannah whilst Barbara thanked Professor Ursula for bringing her back. Diana only had time to blink before she was tackled into her bed behind her.

“Where were you?”

“We were worried sick!”

Diana looked back and forth at their expressions. She notices the wear in their eyes, the happy but worried smiles on their faces. She looks at how their uniforms are rushed, crinkles around on their sleeves, ribbon crooked around their waists. She swallows down the heartfelt tears she hasn’t wept that morning and hugs them both, one under each arm as she squeezes them tight.

She does it to make sure they know that she’s grateful for them, to make sure they know that she cares about them as much as they do for her. To make them know that she’s alright when her voice is suffocated by their kind actions.

“I’m sorry for worrying you two.” She apologised, murmuring the words into the space between their heads. “I fell asleep as I was talking to professor Ursula and in our tiredness forgot to message back. For that I apologies greatly.”

It’s not the full truth but it wasn’t exactly a lie. It was something Professor Ursula told her to say. This way it didn’t hurt her as much when they broke the embrace and started to forgive her. Yet their words cause her heart to fall a bit. Diana just hopes she can find a way to make up to them for her troubles.

**/-/**

Diana is disgusted.

No, she is revolted- No, she’s angry.

When she exhales a snarl of air to the sight before the boiling blood inside finally defines her emotions.

She is livid.

Diana was a mix of surprise and concern when they walk to the cafeteria, full to the brim but it was the silentest it’s ever been.

It’s only when she sees the their table in the far distance she understands why.

It’s not empty. It’s tainted with messy scrawls of vandalism, words she can wipe out with a wave of her wand. But that wasn’t the problem. That was nothing but child play, crude remarks that a child could beat. She heard worse when she was 5 and they were 8.

No it’s that when she places her tray on their table and walks straight Amanda’s table a few tables down. The aimless sea of students break apart as her feet echo in the mess hall. Her face is masked with a cold anger but it all snaps when she pauses at the sight of not only Amanda’s table but Akko’s as well.

They were both stained with the narrow-minded views of witches around her. Tattered and torn with slurs carved into the wood itself. Colours of red, blue and black tattoo themselves with hate full comments of people who disagree with their viewpoint. Irish slurs of the past were printed on Amanda’s table specifically, the old poster of an Irish ban was plastered all over a chair.

Her eyes close, her nails bleeding into the palm of her hands. The voice yells, not out of taunts to kill her but out of raging fury and anger. Diana sucks in a sharp breath, holding it in as she prays that what in front of her isn’t true. Yet she releases it with a snarl as her eyes open. The discrimination remains on the tables of green and red and her blood is on fire.

It’s here and now she wonders if Elizabeth felt the same way upon seeing the intolerance of her peers.

It’s only just a day since the incident and already the colourism shows.

She hears a snickering comment in the crowd and her head snaps at the direction. Her eyes narrow, the calming blue in her eyes transform to the deadly shade of a ocean storm. “You think this is funny?” She snarls in a cold haunting voice.

The sea of students waste no time to part ways, the small group of blue being the lonely island between them. The one in the centre, the one smirking in front of her with a defiance she considers foolish looks over her, sparing a disgusted glance at the tables in question.

“Of course,” she replies in a haughty tone. “It’s quite amusing to see the great Diana Cavendish be overwhelmed with people beneath her.”

“Oh?” Diana asks, her arms cross against her chest as she stalks forward to the group of individuals. “Please explain.”

“Well you see,” the girls begins tilting her head to the light in search of praise. “Throughout history, those born in favour of complete colours has always won in everything, those who were destined to fail were tainted with others. I found it amusing to see a someone like you muck around with a group of mutts and a plague spawn.”

Diana’s eye twitched at the slur as people murmur around them. “So you believe in the theory of eugenics? A theory so backwards I’m not surprised that you’re going back to the dark ages with how you think.” A few snicker at her words, more joining when the witch doesn’t understand the insult.

“This is even funnier!” The girl laughs but Diana can hear the uneasy hesitance in them. “The brightest witch is speaking gibberish, have you been playing with the Rattuses in your spare time?” Another slur spoken, another tick on Diana face and another thread of patience cut off.

“So you are going back to the dark ages.” Diana muses, more laughter from the crowds as the witch gives her a glare. “As you can see you won’t get laughed at if you broaden your mind from such bigoted views.” She snarls at the word bigoted, empathising that the joke is all gone.

Silence follows in an instant.

“You can’t call me a bigot just because I got red words you curse lover!”

_Curse…_

That word, that word she hears every time the chains crumble around the voice in her head and her self esteem is at its lowest, that word causes everything inside her to snap.

A hiss escaped her mouth as Diana looked up at her with dead cold blue eyes. “If you like red so much then continue.” Diana snaps, her lips trembling from rage.

“Say your words so much that they will colour your hands red.” She snarls, the witch in question widens her eyes as her face pales. It surprises Diana that she knows the implications said but she still delivers the final blow. “And watch as all your friends leave you in fear of being known to a murderer.”

A somber silence fills the space, the sound of uncomfortable shifting echoes as Diana lets out a shaky breath, her eyes locked into the others.

“Words hurt.” She seethed, clenching her fist under her arm in a small attempt to compose herself. “But your discriminatory, bigot, colourist words hurt the most.”

Diana inhales another huff of air, only to replace the air inside her lungs before she talks again. “I’m extremely disappointed and angry that you dare disrespect not only the school equipment, its reputation but its students for something they had no control over.”

“Why would you even consider doing an act of crime without regarding the consequences is beyond me.”

“So yes, if you want to walk backwards and keep your narrow head, then by all means continue your path of discrimination and watch as you continue it alone.”

Diana flips her hair and head back, arms now hanging at her sides as she glanced back at the single person island in the middle of the parting. Diana smirks behind her frown knowing that everyone else left her to be alone.

“Murowa!”

Instantly Diana flips out her wand, hoping to protect herself as she turns around. Her lips move in a fast incantation as purple spreads out in a sphere around her.

But it’s not fast enough.

Diana’s world slows around her, blue eyes fixated on the that singular green side that just skims the forming sphere around her and continues its collision path towards her. It hits her as fast as reality did, its negative growth streaking all over her body as her mind is throttled to a world of pain.

The grip on her wand tightens as her mind howls to keep the connection for the barricade. Her eyes squirm shut, her lips quivering from the pain. Her body trembles as she collapses to her knees, the barricade of purple energy faltering as her fingers twitch.

It’s not that the blast is hurting her considering it was only a small amount but it was the intent. The intent of harm. The intent of hatred and anger. It’s cutting her body inside, leaving wounds that no one but her can see. Her skin pales to a sickly colour as if blood seeps from her despite no marks on her skin. The pulse of negative energy only lasts for a few seconds. But it was enough to bring her down.

Diana bites her bottom lips as she heaves air back into her lungs as the shield collapses. Her mind focuses on the witch in front of her, quivering in her boots as her eyes widen at what she had done. She mumbles the small incantation and with a flick of her wand she moves the wand away from the witches grasp.

Hannah and Barbara collide with her, saying words that morph into white noise as Diana’s vision blinks into blackness, fatigue aching all over. Her mind scrolls back to the afternoon under the memorial tree, guilt suddenly forming inside her.

She spends her final moments wondering if she made Akko feel this much of intense pain and hating herself for it.

**/-/**

Diana’s eyes blinks open, eyes narrowed to an annoyed glare at the blurry tiled ceiling, a constant small beep is played next to her but the instant smell of sterile equipment tells her everything she needs to know. She’s in the infirmary, in a private room.

“Took you long enough sleeping beauty.” A familiar voice with an Irish charm snicker near her.

Diana fights the muscle memory instruction to roll her eyes as she moves her head to the side to look at Amanda. Diana’s head blinks in confusion underneath her passive mask as her eyes focus on the black circle around her left bottle green eye. “You have a black eye.” She states after stuttering the words in her head.

Amanda grin pulls an annoyed frown as her arms cross against her chest as she looks away. “And? What of it?”

“Nothing,” Diana denies as she sits up in a slow pace, careful not to give herself a headache. “It’s just surprising.”

“Yeah well today has been a day full of them.” Amanda sighs as she turned her head back to her. “Your one has to be the third biggest in my opinion.”

Diana doesn’t reach her eyes, frustration in her eyes. Of course it would be a big surprise that the pride of Luna Nova got down by one spell. If they didn’t know the context it would be seen as a joke.

Eventually she looks up, surprised at the bright grass green eyes that look at her with concern yet admiration. “You okay there Diana? It looked like that blast did a big number on you, even when you pulled a barrier so quickly.”

“I’m better considering I’m rested.” Diana states, her blue eyes lighting up at the sudden relief in Amanda’s form as she slinks back into her chair.

“You have no idea how I’m glad I am to hear that,” Amanda laughs as she relaxes herself against the chair. “I was scared that Akko would go all raging again if you weren’t feeling better.”

The mention of the witch’s name churns a soft glow in Diana’s stomach causing her posture to straighten up a little, her head leaning forward slightly as her eyes furrow in confusion. “Akko?” She asks, there is no way it could be her. Akko was a kind girl who does have a determined streak that causes trouble but she isn’t the type of girl to hurt someone, not on purpose anyways.

Amanda chuckles at her, leaning on the back legs as she rests her hands on the back of her head. “That’s what I thought too and that cost me an eye.” She admits with a wince of her pride when Diana couldn’t help but let her eyes grow wide.

“Akko did that- to you?”

“Yeah, turns out she can pull a mean right swing and a fast one too. The big second surprise if you ask me.” Amanda laughs, “She didn’t do it on purpose, she had a big fight protecting your honour and what not after you went down.” Amanda flashed her a Cheshire smirk mixed with the smile of a proud mother. “She made at least 5 people be done in before I got involved.”

To say Diana’s mind was blank from shocked was an understatement. She was dumbfounded, surprised and astonished that Akko would do this.

 That she did it for _her_. 

Was this her reckless way of saying sorry for bringing up things last night? Was this because she knows the pain she went through and is annoyed that they don’t realise how painful the spell is? She wanted to know, but she didn’t at the same time.

Diana’s mind was tittering on the tight rope it walked on, one side full of curiosity and wonder and the other full of fears and answered questions. If anyone said to her in the past that Akko would be in the forefront of her mind and be the only thing worth thinking of, Diana would deem them as crazy.

“So what do you think?”

Diana blinked aimlessly at Amanda who couldn’t hide a knowing smirk at her. Did she think about Akko for that long? The thought of it coloured her cheeks a light red embarrassed tone.

“The hearts party I’m setting up for Heart’s week, this Friday. You in?”

Diana’s mind was transformed into a spiral mess as she shook her head. “I have sentry duty on that day Amanda.” She lied with a convincing sigh as her hands fiddled with each other under the sheets. She heard Amanda sigh but the near surroundings turned mute as she listens to the violent beatings of her heart against the chest.

It was Hearts week next week.

How could she forget? Has her brain been so distracted she didn’t even notice it’s arrival before it was too late?

“Are you sure? Akko would be there,” Amanda grinned with a hint of trouble in the corners of her lips.

Diana shook her head. She couldn’t be at party anywhere on Heart Week, especially if Akko could be there. She would hate to make a fool of herself again. “I’m sure, someone needs to check the hallways even at such an important week.”

Amanda sighed, looking at her with slight annoyance and understanding. “Alright miss perfect, I won’t push.” She said as she stands up. “If you ever want to bunk on that day or any other, Green team’s place is always open.” She casts her a soft smile, a feat Diana thought she would never see on a wild rebellious girl like her.

“In fact Blue team is always welcomed after all the stuff you three done for me, I’m sure Constanze can build a big enough table to fit all 9 of us anyways.”

“I appreciate it.” Diana says with a equally kind smile to her Amanda. “I’m sure Akko been telling you my tips on how to deal with colourists, if that’s not enough I’m always willing to give more advice.”

Amanda bursts into laughter, the soft smile replaced with her usual wicked grin. “Oh don’t worry Akko tells me everything you’ve told her.” She laughs as she walks out the door.

The sudden shift of atmosphere causes something to swirl in Diana. Admiration? Excitement? Anticipation? Diana doesn’t know what emotion churned in her stomach but she knew something was wrong when it all disappears into a soft glowing ache inside her at Amanda’s next words.

“That girl never shuts up about you.”


	6. Chapter 5.5 ~ Control

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some people were wondering what Akko did during the cafeteria scene and I am happy to oblige. It was going to be a drabble as an omake but…the word counter thought it was big enough to be a full yet small chapter. This is all in Akko's Point of view btw. Anyways Enjoy!

Akko didn’t waste time to leap out of her seat at the Diana’s name. She can hear Lotte’s shout of concern behind her but the sound is silenced in Akko’s head, her mind chanting in a mix of fear and excitement as she speed away to the cafeteria.

The thought of Diana usually sent flustered chills down her spine but the thought of Diana, fighting for her. The idea made her every emotion she gained about her join together to create this massive incomprehensible bubbly mess inside her stomach. It made her heart ache, it made her cheeks burst into the soft tones of pink and red. It made her smile grow bigger with every step before it all collapsed at the sight in front of her, her steps skidding to a halt.

Akko screamed inside her head as she saw the wall of navy blue in front of her when she entered the cafeteria. She clicked her mouth in annoyance as she jumped up, eyes widening at the distance between her and Diana, snarling with angered cold eyes at the lone witch. The scene was isolated like a desert island in an ocean from the rest of the student body.

Her eyes darted around the small opening she has, her heart beating more and more at how confident Diana is, it made her grin reach one ear to the next.

It was brilliant knowing she was back from the silly mistake she did last night. The thought of it quells a bit of her high paced emotions, it causes her smile to falter a bit as the image of Diana trying to hold it all together even when she was breaking inside flash in her head.

“Akko!” Lotte gasped as she slowed down to her, her hand clutching her shoulder as she tried to regain her breath.

“What took you so long?” Akko grinned before she looked dead ahead of her, an idea lighting up her mind like a firework. Her grin flashed a mischievous smirk as she looked back at Lotte. Lotte’s eyes grew wide as her hand started to reach out for her but Akko already delved into the sea of students.

Akko was squished to the brim, her eyes squinting as a bundle of hair poked it as she moved closer. The voice of Diana grew more muffled as she became engulfed within the students. It was like she was in a literal sea, that every step seemed to drag her and swallow her whole and into down to the abyss.

Usually it was a split second decision instinct that would save lost people at sea. The survival instinct to hold on into a rock, a kiss from a mermaid, the sudden flash of light from a nearby ship. For Akko in this sea of students, it was the shout of a familiar word that saved her from drowning.

But the word still killed her, stealing away the air in lungs, her heart dropping to her stomach and her face going sickly pale. The word sent a harsh spike crushing down on her spine as the small fraction of its pain spread around her body like wildfire.

“Murowa!”

Everyone around her gasped but Akko was only focused on the instant growth of purple in the distance. Her heart was beating violently against her chest as she pushed and shoved her way more easily to get closer. False comfort plagued her mind as a nervous, terrified look was etched on her face.

Diana wouldn’t be hurt, she’s the ace student of her year, the pride of Luna Nova. She’s fast enough to put up a barrier. She’ll be okay…right?

The scream of Diana’s name from Hannah answered the fear in her head. The way it was shrieked, the instant running of footsteps that followed, the sound of whispers that hiss around her told her everything.

Diana got hit.

Akko shot through the students like a rocket. She didn’t care who was pushed, she didn’t care on the nasty words spoken to her back in retaliation, she didn’t care about anything. She only cared about Diana’s safety in the forefront of her mind.

When she broke through to the other side, the seams of her heart crumbled. Her brown eyes broke down in agony as Hannah and Barbara were trying to wake her up, Hannah was screaming at them to get a teacher and like everyone else Akko was in trance of disbelief.

Her eyes could only look at Diana’s fragile form clutched in Barbara’s arms. Did she look like this in the memorial tree? All broken and fragile looking? The paleness of her skin and the limpness of her body gave the sudden painful image of her being dead and her heart jumped in her throat, bleeding into her lungs as Akko felt her eyes water.

Diana doesn’t deserve this. She deserves hugs and warm cuddles and smiles on her face, not this chaotic mess.

“Down by a single spell and a curse lover, some of pride of Luna Nova she is.”

Something inside Akko _snapped_.

The water around the rim of her eyes evaporated. Her blood boiled in pure rage and anger as she grabbed the student by the collar and forced her down to her height. Akko’s body was radiating as if it was from the fires of hell as she stared into the girl’s soul.

“What did you say?” She hissed in a cold monotone voice.

The girl no longer quivered in fear, her face wretched into a stuck up snarl as she looked at her with disgust in recognition. “I said a fact, you plague spawn .” She spat in Akko’s face.

Now everyone knows that Akko is no good at magic. Everyone knows that Akko has scars from her pathetic human attempts to do magic growing up.

But not everyone knows that some scars didn’t come from tree climbing.

The disgusted look was punched off her face in an instant. A loud gasp around her broke the tense atmosphere as Akko hit her again. Dust clouds formed around them as more people got involved, yelling injustice that fell deaf to her ears.

Shouts of pain echoed in the room like an ensemble of music as Akko punched and kicked people like there was no tomorrow. Sure she got hit here and there but Akko made sure they received a punch ten folds her pain.

“Akko!” Amanda shouted against the cries of pain. Akko ignored her, her vision blind with red fury. “Akko!” Amanda yelled again. Akko felt someone grab her shoulder, like second nature she punched them in the eye before she could even see the target.

“Holy Je-” Amanda fumed, trying to hold her tongue in a school environment. In the end the pain was too much to bear. “Fucking hell Akko!” she cursed as she clutched her eye in pain. Akko blinked, reality returning to her as she looked around confused.

“Eh?” She asked as she looked around, there are at least 10 people on the floor, there was a small dust cloud resting at their feet and a body groaned in her hand.

“Where the hell is your control you crazy head!?” Amanda shouted, a tick on her forehead. “I can see at least 5 bodies!” The sudden shouting of it all made Akko jump, letting go of the body as it slumped into the ground.

“There is 10 by the way if you could open your other eye.” Sucy states bluntly as she looks around the room unimpressed. “Her control is unconscious in the infirmary.” Amanda shot Sucy a one eyed glare before she blinks in surprise. A blues grows on Akko’s face, her hands waving frantically when Amanda looked at her, jaw dropped. Sucy looks at Akko, an amused look on her face as she continues to poke one of the bodies. “Did you kill them Akko?”

“Ehhhh!!” Akko cried as she looked at both of them, stumbling on the bodies on the ground as she steps back. “No, I didn’t kill them I swear! They might be a bit unconscious but I didn’t kill them.” She assures but the nervous laughter in her voice does little to convince them.

“How?? What-when?” Amanda said, lost in confusion as she looked around the room in disbelief. “Wait so you beat these people up for Diana since you like he-”

“NOPE!” Akko said loudly. Amanda gave her a deadpan look whilst Sucy gave her an amused smirk. Akko sighed a little as she looked around, it was empty, only them, some bodies and a cafeteria tables were there. Everyone must’ve left during her fight. “Okay maybe a bit.” She heard Amanda gasp and Sucy chuckle as she looked away to hide her blush as she rubbed her arm embarrassed.

“If you’re going to keep your mouth open like that Amanda you’re going to catch flies.” Sucy said as Amanda woke up from her dazed smile and gave Akko a wild grin.

Akko only could chuckle nervously as Amanda walked over to her with Cheshire like smile, ribbing her side with her elbow when she’s close enough.

“So you and Miss perfect huh? This is the biggest surprise yet.” 


	7. Chapter 6~Hearts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is 5k words guys oh my god. I'm so proud of myself. Anyways enjoy!!

“Are you sure Diana?” Headmistress Holbrooke asked, a light frown her face as she looked up at her. Diana fidgets a little under her gaze but she takes a deep breath and steels herself.

“I’m very sure Headmistress Holbrooke.” Diana states with no air of confusion in her voice. She needs to get at least some sentry duties for this week. She needs all the distraction she can get. It’s Hearts week after all. How she managed to forgot about it is beyond her.

“But you just came out of the infirmary, you need to rest my dear.” She argued as she walked closer to her. “Not to mention it’s Hearts week, I want you to celebrate this joyous week. After what you happened in the Cafeteria yesterday, you of all students deserve a break.”

Diana opened her mouth to argue but the words become trapped in her throat as she looks away. “I appreciate your concern Headmistress, however I can’t let my duties wander because of a national holiday. I highly doubt anyone would be willing to patrol the hallways in a week like this.”

Holbrooke look at her with a masked smile, a pit of guilt swarmed in Diana’s stomach as she looked away. If she was disappointed in her and Diana hoped she wasn’t, she hid it well. “Very Well Miss Cavendish, you’ll be assigned for Wednesday and Thursday night patrols but nothing more.”

Diana blinked, slight uncertainty in her voice as it stammered for the first time under her cool exterior. “W-w What about Friday?” Her eyes widened at her stutters as she covered her mouth in lightning speed.

Holbrooke gives her an amused smile as she walks back to her seat and writes a few things down. “Oh Friday will be done by someone else, you have a party to go to if I recall.”

Diana looks at her astounded, her hands fall from her mouth as she stares bewildered. Her blue eyes wide like the ocean itself. “You are aware of the party?”

Holbrooke laughs in a light tone, closing her book to solidify her sentry duties. “I allowed the party to happen Miss Cavendish, it was the least I could do after failing to stop the discrimination from growing for Miss O'Neil.” Diana notices the harsh bite in her final words but the scowl on her face, eyes glaring to her lap tells her the tone was aimed at herself more than anyone else.

“I was hoping the years has changed the views of people but alas I am proven wrong once again. It was quite fortunate it wasn’t as bad as your cousin’s.” Holbrooke sighs when her subtle self hate diminishes. She steps closer to the glass wall behind her desk, wearing a face that Diana knows too well. The face of pure tiredness, that nothing has changed, that world is still full of hate. She sees it often in the mirror growing up, when her eyes lock into the black words branded on her arm.

A quick memory flashes through her mind like a bullet. Her eyes close to hide the turmoil in them, a cold shiver stings her arms as it rampages through her bloodstream. Her heart still beats, but each pulse twists and turns in horrible anguish. Her mind focuses on her breathing, the shallow breaths of silent pleas, the long exhales under her breath. It’s a ritual that always calms her in the presence of others. Her eyes only open when it’s strong enough to carry the neutral barrier in them. “Did they ever see the tables?”

Holbrooke shook her head. The sight loosened Diana’s posture, her lungs exhaling air she wasn’t aware she held. Inside her, something screams in delight. It deafens the voice of Holbrooke’s words that she only caught as whispers against the internal voice. “It seemed Miss Kagari improved her skills at thievery and stole away food the night before and shared it with the green team the following morning. By the time we entered the empty cafeteria both Miss Manbavaran and Miss O'Neil were too focused on Miss Kagari’s roughhousing that we managed to hide their tables before they saw it.”

The smallest smile grows on Diana’s face, the cheers fade to the background noise. In its absent an idea stirs within in her, like black viscous poison that rots away her insides. Diana looks through the window now for peace but she only sees her reflection blocking the view. She sees the even paler skin, the faint haggard lines hidden under a spell, the crumbling facade and the flecks of fear in her eyes. “How about the people responsible? Are they found yet?”

Holbrooke sighs. “No one appears to own up and Miss Varian doesn’t wish to talk about who was involved but she states that it wasn’t her.”

“And you’re inclined to believe her?” Diana is surprised that her voice is harsher than she expected but given the circumstances, it would be reasonable.

“I’m inclined to believe anyone when they are have expulsion hanging over their heads.” Holbrooke admits, the nonchalant of her tone makes Diana squirm inside her. “Colourism, bullying and the intention and the act of harming another student are very serious matters,” She continues, voice cold from experience as her eyes narrow into angry slits.

In her mind, Diana’s thought flickers to Elizabeth and the brief shattering glimpse of her lying on a hospital bed in London despite her teacher saving her from most of the lethal blows. The mismatched patterns of cuts and bruises, the swollen eye, blonde hair singed with fiery hatred. “If Professor Ursula didn’t swayed me to see that such hate needs to be changed through understanding instead of just kicking them out with no explanation as to why, Miss Varian wouldn’t even be in Luna Nova by the end of yesterday.”

“I see…” Her voice is as lost as her thoughts, her mind foggy with fragmented memories whose sharp edges scratches the chains of the voice inside her. The somber mood crushes her, the violent beating of her chest doesn’t help the anguish developing inside. “I should get going now.”

Holbrooke nods, a small hum of approval as Diana walks back to the doorway. “Have a nice Hearts week Diana, do try and enjoy it.”

Diana merely nods at statement as she steps from one world to the next. The somber mood is replaced with vibrant chaos. It was like she walked into one world and stepped into another. The hallways are filled with linings of multi-coloured ribbons, heart symbols litter the floor as the hallways buzz with conversation.

Diana weaves in and out of the students walking with their eyes open and searching, charms around their ears to help their listening. Normally this hallway is a place of silence but today along with the rest of the week, it will be filled with people with words linked to the principle’s office. Of course the headmistress would never mind, some say she’s seen a relationship blossom more times in her hallways than anywhere else in school.

Diana forces herself to look ahead, to blur the sidelines from people’s comments and baiting words. She hears whispers calling her name as she politely charges through the hallway in a fast paced motion. She doesn’t want to see anything. She doesn’t need to be reminded of what she can’t have.

The somber lingering emotions from the office still has its chain around her, the memories that she tries to hard to bury the night before are squirming from the blacked out childhood memories. Of lonely times where this week came and went, the only difference each year how loud the voice came and how it grew when the week left.

She merely nods when the loud gasp collapses the glee in the hallway, her steps being prominent in the silence, soft echoes against the soft carpet. People are probably staring at her but Diana doesn’t care. She doesn’t want to turn around and see a pair of friends or lovers, of two people who found their words.

It must be beautiful, a moment of euphoria when their eyes meet and the spark is aligned between them. It will be a tender moment for them, one that would outlive their lifetime. Another found miracle on Heart’s week, another fuel to drive the word seeking populace even more to socialise and converse, to find their own soulmate.

Diana leaves the hallway at the sound of cheering, both from the surroundings and the voice inside her head. The memories chip away at the chains that force it into silence, though not fully broken, hints of childish laughter haunts her brain. Maybe the laughter for her or maybe it was for the two girls who found a relationship worth fighting for, she wasn’t quite ready to figure it out.

From the hallways of the principle’s office comes a bigger, more colourful world of celebration. To most this sight would dazzle with light, their hearts would soar with motivation that this week would be their week of a second chance, to find the soulmate they lost the first time. The crowds were more packed, only a few gaps between the mob of students constantly moving to find the right person.

Amongst the chaos and backed onto a wall, Diana’s eyes lingers on the decorations above, fluttering over the drafts of conversation. She watches red writing twirl behind a lighter pink heart shape near the ceilings, each heart holding a letter to spell out “Hearts weeks.” The words become clogged in her throat, the familiar dreaded crawl against her skin rises again. Her eyes seemingly wanting to torture herself more as she looks further. Blue writing follows behind it in a similar banner saying “Good luck,” followed by a green writing “Love is just one conversation away.”

She doesn’t intend to find what the purple writing behind said, her body already turns to face the opposite side, stepping around the masses to find solace in this love spread event. Blue eyes focus on her footsteps, how loud it seems compared to the fading of conversations behind her.

Diana needs peace, a silent distraction to mute the voice inside. Normally she would trap herself inside the dorm, learning ahead of the syllabus with her ears shut and eyes stuck on the pages. Hannah and Barbara knows by now to leave her be, often they’re away doing their own things to celebrate the special occasion. But with the circumstances of last week she doubts they would be welcome anywhere else par their new gained friends. Even if she followed her standard combat tactics, come late at night they’ll try to persuade her to come to the party that she needs to avoid. It already hurts that she needs to lie to their faces, she doesn’t want to torture herself more seeing their faces as they realise their attempts were for nothing.

So Diana needs to be in a place of emptiness. A place for her to gather her thoughts and know her tactics to combat the week. Somewhere quiet and isolated. The dorm won’t help due to the easy access of company, neither would the library, for once it would be a place filled with hushed noise. It will become another place to find lovers.

Diana looks up, her train of thoughts collapsing at the sudden sound of rushing water. The calm mask tilts a little, confusion written over her face as the familiar sound of steps against cobblestone follow her dazed steps. Her back touches the warmth edge of the stone bridge as water slushes below her.

It’s there the setting hits her. She’s back on the bridge again, the same one where she was lost in her thoughts on the first day back to school. The memory of the day pulls to the front of her mind, her mouth struggles to either smile or frown. A smile because of the butterflies flying in the sky, where Akko smiles at her with a wave. The memory brings a warm comfort, a flutter in her chest. Yet she considers a frown because of the incident before, the spell. The thought breaks the memory of peace in her head, a reminiscent of the agony crackles down her body. Her hand instinctually clenching the fabric that covers the new scar mark on her skin.

Diana breaths again, her intake is shaky as her knees, her other hand grips onto the rough edge of the bridge for support. Her eyes clench tight as she focuses on the sound of rushing water. Another ritual to distract her, amplifying the sound to drown the words her inner demon has to say.

“Diana!”

The call of her name, the shout of a voice she didn’t expect to hear snaps everything off, the voice, the growing ache near her abdomen, the memory of the past.

“Akko…” she hears herself speak as Akko runs up to her, holding her arm, worries and concerns leaving her mouth in a speed that it becomes incomprehensible. She can’t help but stare at the worried tinge in her eyes, the frown creases on her cheeks. A cold agony grows inside her, her mind tripping over itself in confusion at this strange feeling.

It wasn’t guilt, she knows that feeling like it was a language she was fluent in. It could be pity or a combination of both but Akko didn’t give her the time to think. She pushed herself closer to Diana’s face, bending over her tiptoes, faces becoming inches apart. “Are you okay Diana?”

“I’m fine…” Diana says in hesitance, voice slightly lost since there were other matters frazzled in her head.

“Are you sure?”

Diana nods, her head moving back slightly at Akko’s lacking knowledge of personal space but under her determined gaze Diana’s mask cracks and she slowly shakes it instead. “It’s nothing bad just some lingering effects.”

“Nothing bad!? You looked really hurt Diana, how can that be not bad?”

Diana inwardly wince at the raise in voice. Surely it wasn’t that bad…

Akko sighs, falling back to her flat feet, no longer on her tippy toes allowing Diana to breathe before it becomes lodged in her throat when Akko grasped her hand and pulls her closer. “I’m taking you to the infirmary if it hurts you this much.”

“Akko!” Diana pulls her hand away, cheeks flaring red as she stares at her bold move. “I’m fine, honestly, I don’t need to go back and-”

She didn’t get to finish her sentence. A sudden agonising pain attacks her stomach. Caught off guard, her legs collapse against each other, her face pulling a grimace as her hand clenches the spot of where the spell hit her body.

Akko was quicker than Diana originally thought, already holding her side for support. Diana smiles despite the pain as she leans her body against Akko’s side. “I’m taking you back now whether you like it or not Diana.”

“Don’t.” Diana manages to squeeze out from her pain clenched teeth. “She’ll be busy, too many people in the corridors,” she reasons when they hobble off the bridge. “A scene, people will look.”

Akko nods, surpassing Diana how she understood her mess of an explanation. “We’re resting under the tree then, just until it passes.” Diana gives a tight nod, focusing on Akko’s steps aligning with hers as they limp to the Jennifer memorial tree nearby.

They get there a minute later, surprisingly it was lacking in students par from them though it was reasonable, they were far from the main institution. The tree looked beautiful under the beams of the sun from the skyline. There was a distance harmonies from birds that now occupied it since they healed it when they first met. The grass was soft under their feet and the sight was so beautiful, it’s like a lost garden for only them to find.

Diana couldn’t help but collapse on Akko’s lap when she had the chance, she’s just been so tired and the aches near her chest didn’t know when to stop. She curled her body closer, her side of vulnerability exposed to Akko once again but she didn’t mind, she knew she was in safe hands after all.

“Why are you even out of your infirmary bed in the first place.” Akko mumbled, combing into her bag Diana didn’t knew she brought. She tried to make a comment, say how she isn’t the one to talk, often going to classes after they do another mess up like it was nothing unusual.

Instead, a soft groan left her lips, the ache tightens near her chest, the shivers and shakes ran all over her. This doesn’t usually happen, often the spell’ effect would last up to 24 hours. A full day has passed since then so why was she feeling like she got shot with the spell again? A weaker one but the spell all the same.

“I need you to eat this Diana, it would help the pain,” Akko asks, helping Diana position herself to sit upright. Diana nods, eyes still closed as her mouth opens. There was the sound of a distinct crack before it was placed carefully inside.

At first, Diana chewed the food quickly, expecting something foul like the taste of medicine but the more she bit into it the more flavour exploded before it all meld into this smooth rich taste of chocolate. After that she ate more slowly, savouring the taste and how good it is. Diana can notice the effect immediately, the aches began to loosen, the shivering decreased and to make matters better, the voice inside seemed to drown inside this chocolate flavour. She can taste the amount of care and love that came went into making it, allowing it to be more sweet but not too sweet to become sickening.

“You feeling okay now Diana?” Diana hummed in agreement, still savouring the remains of the chocolate. She leaned back into what she thought was the tree except it was more softer and made something tickle the back of her hair. She knew something was wrong when she heard the rapid beat of a heart echo in her ears. Only then she realised that she wasn’t leaning into the tree but on Akko herself.

With her face full of red, Diana jumped away from her lap, a chaotic rambling of apologies leaving her lips as she stared at the ground, not finding the courage to look into Akko’s eyes. “I’m deeply apologise Akko, I thought you were the tree and that you were-” Each word she said seemed to break the charm of peace that the chocolates first brought, her words became more lost, her mind becoming more blurry.

Once again, Akko showed her lack of personal space, grabbing Diana by the hand again and pulling her close to her original position before she moved. “Akko!?” Diana shrieked as she fidget to get out.

“You need to relax Diana, didn’t the nurse tell you about that?” Akko reasoned, holding Diana’s fidgeting hands still with hers. Diana’s breathing hitched before it nestles into soft sigh of acceptance when she feels the arms around her waist tighten. She knew Akko is determined when she puts her minds into things so she had no choice but to give in. If she was so determined to keep her relaxed then what can she do to stop it? Furthermore, though she would never admit aloud, she was comfortable in her arms as if time stood still and the world and her worries within it ceased to exist.

Surprisingly, the spell returned, restoring balance into her chest as the aches slowly disappeared once more, no chills ran down her arms, no voice inside was screaming misery. In the process she became aware of the soft touch of grass under her legs, the gentle breeze through their hair, the rhythmic beat of Akko’s heart when she leans closer into her body and how the birds sang in perfect harmony.

Diana hummed in thought, eyes closing to this symphony of peace. Akko’s question repeating in the silence of her head. Her memory whirls back to when she was given the clearing to go. The faint warnings she heard there becomes clearer now when they aren’t filled with worrying about securing a sentry duty on Friday.

The nurse indeed told her about the warnings, some lingering effects of the Murowa spell considering the intent of the spell. That if her mind plagued on the event some pains would reappear, though it would be weaker, it would still be enough to hurt her when she just healed most of the damage. If her mind or heart was feeling intense discomfort, the small parts of the spell would leech on it and use it to attack her again. Usually these effects would leave after the first day when the magic is all gone and died down but it seems she had the unlucky nature to have the effect stay longer, not that her own inner turmoils didn’t help.

“I assume this is your way to help me relax?” Diana asks, tilting her head to look up. Akko was smiling at her, eyes soft with adoration. She was in a trance and as a response Diana’s brows furrowed in confusion, “Akko?”

Her name did some effect to snap her out of her daze. Akko blinked owlishly at her, her cheeks reddening with every second pass. “Um… yeah, I guess,” she mumbles as she looks away.

Diana’s eyebrows raise up as she accounts Akko’s warm cheek, surely it wasn’t that cold in here was is it? Of course she could be blushing at her but the idea became more laughable the more and more she thought about it. Someone liking her? The concept itself was unfathomable, it was just impossible. No one really falls for a person with black words, especially not on Heart’s week.

The thought of the event sobers Diana’s mood. The smile is still there for she forces herself to have it under a mask, but her mind dwells on what she should’ve thought of hours ago. She stops looking up at Akko, not hearing the mumble from her lips and looks ahead to the glass dome walls that surrounds them. She peers out more, leaning away from Akko’s touch as her body transform into a distant slouch. Diana also once again fails to hear the growl inside her before it’s sapped away as worries fill her head on how to tackle this year’s event.

“Hey, what did I just say?” Akko said, snapping her thoughts before the main idea begun. She hears the distinct crack of chocolate being snapped before the sight of it appears in her vision. “You need to relax your mind or else it’ll hurt you even more, if you need to think at least take this.”

Diana blinks at her hand before she takes the chocolate, snaps a smaller block off and savours the taste when she plops it in her mouth. The smooth sweetness of it all curls the corners of her mouth, it tickles her sides as she puts another one in. “Where did you get these?” She asks, turning around to see Akko with a pleased smile.

Akko’s face is still red from the temperature, a nervous laughter escaping her lips as a finger scratches her cheek. “I made it?” She admits, in a pitch higher than usual and with a nervous hesitance. She catches a glance at Diana, whose blue eyes grow wide slightly as she stares. Akko leans more against the actual trunk of the tree, her hands gone from Diana’s waist as they moved about to exaggerate the story further. “Well I didn’t fully make it by myself, I made the chocolate but Jasminka helpd me place the healing effect without ruining the taste and Lotte helped me keep it not melting under a warm temperature.”

Diana still couldn’t help but stare. Though her explanations explained many things like the healing effect and why it isn’t melting it meant one thing that she doesn’t understand. “If I assume correctly, you have perfected the spell to make it have this level of sweetness. That’s incredible.” Diana states, amazed at the capability of Akko. To perfect sweetness to this level using a spell is astounding. She couldn’t even reach that level yet, though she doesn’t really focus on cooking spells.

Her comment makes Akko’s cheeks flare more and grows the lack of ability to look at her in the face. Her words becomes a mess of stutters and stammers that amuses Diana as she watches her try to say something. She scoots over, leaning on the actual tree to sit next to her, another chocolate in her mouth.

“Actually, I made the chocolate by hand.” Akko admits with a shy smile. Diana chokes on the chocolate going down her throat in disbelief. “Diana?” Akko asked concern in her voice.

“I’m fine.” Diana managed to say after clearing her throat. “I was just caught off guard, did you say you made this by hand?” Akko nods bashfully making Diana be even more impressed. “Akko… that’s amazing.” Her voice is airy, soft like the current breeze as she stares at Akko.

“Yeah… my mum runs a sweet shop so I help her from times to time back in Japan. I used to make sweets in the summer until I had enough of boys who kept trying to get free sweet off me.” She explains, her eyes lost in thought, the nostalgic smile morphs into a frown as she talks once more. “I felt bad for what happened in the library so I thought to make you something sweet as an apology gift. I didn’t realise how much of a taboo talking about the black words were until Lotte pointed it out to me. I made more just in case I hurt you accidentally by asking you to help me with something.”

Diana’s face falls into neutrality, one side of her wants to assure her that the library wasn’t her fault and the other wants to lecture her more in fear she’ll do something again, even when it’s unintentional. In the mental debate she swallowed down another chocolate as she nudges Akko to look at her, a decision reached. “Don’t fret about what happened in the library, you didn’t necessarily cause me to run out, if anything I feel bad for cutting the lesson short. Also don’t feel worried on offending me again with your questions, I would rather have you informed with facts than biased opinions.” To get her point across, Diana reaches out and touches her shoulder, Akko smiles kindly at her before her eyes close and she steels herself with a deep breath.

“Can you explain what’s hearts week is?”

“Eh?” Diana blinked. This caught her off guard, surely she must’ve covered the topic with Professor Ursula whilst she was away or with her friends. She couldn’t be this ignorant to such an important event… right?

“Well I asked my friends this morning why strangers were asking me questions and why the corridors were filled with students. Only then I learnt that it was Heart weeks. I asked Sucy but she was busy with a potion and told me to read it in a book so I went to the library. It was really full and no one seemed to help me find something on it so I asked Lotte who made it become a topic around nightfall. Then Barbara came along and started to talk to her about it and Hannah told me to try and find you, she told you you’ll be at the most quietest place you could find so I started to search. I bumped into the green team who couldn’t help since they were busy making stuff for the party but they did say that you were outside.” Akko explained as she took an breath of air. “And that’s why I’m asking you to teach me, if you don’t mind.” She added quickly.

Diana sighs, leaning more into the trunk as her head gaze at the distant leaves. “I’ll explain it, I forget about your lack of knowledge in witch culture sometimes but first, what do you know?”

“Umm… that it was a week for people to meet their soulmate when they failed to do the first time? And it was national?” Akko questioned as she fumbles in her bag to pull out a pen and a note book.

“In the most basic terms that is was Heart’s week essentially is. It’s a time for people who knows their soulmate after hearing their words but stumbled when responding which could be the other person’s word. As a result people try to recreate the moment with their assumed soulmate in hopes of getting it right. Somehow the magic of the words seem to amplify during the extent of a week so people try their luck even more to find their soulmate if they don’t need to mess up as they are more likely to find them. Especially when the power of the words reset every day, so if you mess up today you can try again tomorrow. It’s why no one has lessons today as everyone is excited to find their soulmate, it’s the same with Sunday. The rules will be more loose as people are desperate to catch the chance to meet their soulmate before the week ends.”

She stops there to give space for Akko to catch up. The idea that the word’s magic seem to amplify already causes something to squirm inside her. She eats another single block of chocolate to force the emotions of worry down before it’s leeched away by the lingering spell. This is why she hates Heart’s week and why she tries so hard to avoid human interaction, the black words on her can makes things likely to be more worse for her and her friends than usual. Not to mention something terrible often happens at the end of the week, to her or someone else who cares about her. One time it was accounting problem for her uncle, another time it was being forced to go to another Hansbridge Party without Elizabeth. It makes her fully live up to the slur associated with her words, a walking curse.

“So we have lessons tomorrow and for the rest of the week?” Akko asked, finishing her notes which draws Diana back into reality.

“Yes though they will be loose to adapt to the event and often will include a lot of group work or a chance to socialise, there won’t be any tests unless the teacher makes it.”

“Ah so this week won’t really help me will it?” Akko muses as she closed the book. They look at each other, Diana with slight confusion and Akko with a knowing smile. “It won’t really help me find anyone since I have no words. I won’t lie, it’s a bit annoying since everyone has this chance and I can’t.”

“You can still enjoy it, like I said before everyone is affected by the words in one way or the other. Maybe you could be someone else’s soulmate and you can say their words.”

Akko ponders over Diana’s word as Diana does the same. At first she was excited knowing there was someone who can’t be fully effected by her words but her own explanations brought her back down to reality. Akko has an equal chance to be effected by her words, especially when time progresses on. In the comfortable silence, something hits Diana like a bullet train, an amused smile grows on her face as she turns to Akko.

“Did you actually punch Amanda yesterday Akko?” Akko doesn’t answer, too busy burying her face into her hands but it gives the same response if she did.

“It was an accident! I just fell back into habit since I used to fight boys off who wanted to get free sweets.” She explained. She doesn’t know why, maybe it was the tone of her voice or the actions she did with her words but Diana heard herself laughing at her misery. Akko speaks again in her defence, hands moving to exaggerate as they talk more under the tree.

Diana didn’t get a plan in her head at the end of the day but somehow, laughing with Akko, eating chocolate under the tree was worth it.


	8. Chapter 7~Tuesday

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I AM SO SORRY I HAVEN'T UPDATED THIS IN A LONG TIME. I kinda blame the fandom on tumblr for constantly making so much FLUFF like honestly, each fluff art I see or read is like another day delayed because I can't write angst on that day. So.... this chapter is surprisingly 8K? yeah I know it's a lot. 
> 
> Also I'm sad to say that my writing in general will be slowing as we become closer to May as the Exams are coming and I'm starting to stress out big time. I need to kinda focus on my studies, I'm just saying this so that you guys are aware and you guys won't be worried on why I won't be writing a lot. 
> 
> Anyways enough about that, enjoy the chapter!!!

Diana didn’t really know what to expect when she woke up ready for lessons. This Heart’s Week was different from the other years, yesterday was a breeze though Diana has to admit she has to thank Akko for that. The chocolate taste of yesterday still lingered on her tongue and her mood was considerably high which was a strange phenomenon in itself.

“You seem better today Diana,” Hannah mentioned with a smile when Diana walked out of her separated bedding. Diana looked at her with a small smile before glancing at Barbara who paused her bed making to look at her.

“I guess I have to thank you two for that,” Diana said as she too began to prepare for school. It was Tuesday after all, the lessons for Heart’s Weeks will start today and things if it followed past years in the school history they will only have the morning lessons followed by optional ones in the afternoon. “It was good for you to recommend Akko to come find me. Her presence was quite comforting.”

A giggle came out of Barbara’s mouth, “Of course she would, Akko stayed a long time next to you when you were in the infirmary.” Diana’s calm face changed entirely, it was only small changes like the extra blink and the stiff face but to Diana the small changes lead to big things.

“Barbara…” Hannah hushed as Barbara winced at her tone.

“What? It’s not like it she was hiding it?” Barbara continued with a small furrow of her eyebrows. Hannah looked at her with a message that Diana couldn’t really decipher. Barbara seemed to do though, judging from her embarrassed face and meekly smile to her direction. “Well… you see Diana,” Barbara started as she began to explain her words.

Diana wasn’t listening though, her mind was still in comprehension on what Barbara said. The fight after the cafeteria was justified since she is one the few people who has been affected by the Murowa spell. Spending the rest of the day with her was to appease her own guilt for what happened in the library. Staying with her whilst she was unconscious though? That had no justification in her mind but something else clicked instead that only solidify Barbara’s claim and make something foreign tingle inside her.

“That would explain how she knew that I needed to relax…” Diana mused to herself.

“What did you say?” Hannah exclaimed as Barbara walked towards Diana with a smile.

“Well she does need a break don’t you think Hannah? She already had enough on her plate.”

Hannah looked at Barbara, there was a beat of silence before she nodded back and proceeded to go to Diana’s empty side. “Indeed she has so as her team members and friends we should help her become more relaxed, especially in such a busy week.”

“Girls,” Diana started as she tried to move away from them but found herself unable to do so. “I’ll be fine, if anything comes up I’ll ask for you help.”

“Oh we know that Diana,” Hannah started as her eyes locked with Barbara.

“But we still need to help you relax,” Barbara finished. “Which is why we’re recommending you to join us for Amanda’s party on Friday.”

Diana sighed mentally, she knew this was coming eventually. Somehow she managed to dodge the question yesterday, though today she doesn’t seem to have that luck.

“I need to do my duty on that day however,” Diana lied. Something vile stirred in her stomach and it only grew bigger when she looked at Hannah’s and Barbara’s crestfallen faces. “I need to do my role for the school unfortunately.” She also doesn’t want to ruin the party with her black words but they don’t need to know that.

“But you already do so much for the school Diana.”

“Please, you need to rest.”

Their pleas continued, each one causing her heart to ache with agony. They only want the best for her, she can see that as clear as day and it touches her heart that they care so much about her. Unfortunately, Diana cares about them more than she cares about her health, she doesn’t want to ruin their more than she already has.

“If it bothers you so much, would it make you feel better to know that I somewhat rested with Akko yesterday.”

Instantly their faces of concern did a sudden change, the frowns transformed a relieved and maybe excited smiles. Actually it shocked Diana a lot that the name Akko made this happen, to think they hated the girl when they first met. A part of her wanted to know what changed but something already told her that the recent events were the cause of this all.

“Of course!” Barbara smiled as she carried on with her cleaning. The matter already gone. Diana’s face changed slightly into confusion as she stared at Barbara’s behaviour.

“Her and Lotte got on a lot with Nightfall after yesterday.” Hannah answered with a small growl near the end. “Somehow Lotte managed to get her talking to Sucy as well but that didn’t last long. However they’ve been talking non-stop ever since so she’s happy that someone else is friends with the Red Team.”

“I see…” Diana said, taking not at the crossing of Hannah’s arms between her chest. “So why are you annoyed about this?”

Hannah sighed, “I was planning to spend the day with Barbara and try to figure a few things out whilst we had the full day, so I think it’s reasonable that I’m a little peeved to find it wasted.”

“It’s understandable but I don’t considered that day wasted, if you spent the whole day with her smiling is that not enough? It’s a great feeling to have knowing your friends are happy and I’m sure Barbara appreciates you being there with her.” Diana said in hopes that it would make her feel better. She didn’t really have much experience in comforting others and it was much harder for her to express it. “Today is a new start of the cycle, maybe you’ll spend time with her for the whole day.”

Hannah sighed, a small grateful smile on her face as she gave Diana a long sideways hug. “I hope you’re right, thanks for that Diana, you’re the best.” Diana stood frozen, completely unprepared for the hug. Slowly she melted and one armed wrapped around her arm and she squeezed it back.

“I hope so too.” She answered oblivious to the meaning of her words.

**/-/**

The hallways were still filled with chaos of yesterday. Multi coloured streamers littered the floors and even cleaning sprites were getting overwhelmed. The hallways were busy but more controlled and they were buzzing with conversations. Who got with who, who broke up, who is invited to Amanda’s party, all trivial things that truly didn’t matter to Diana but a few comments here and there got her attention but they were only fractured sentences in a sea of gossip.

“Took you long enough, I was wondering if you were going to ditch.” Amanda smirked as they strolled into potion making. Behind her lazy feet up against the counter position waved Akko whose eyes perked up. Diana offered her a small glance, a quick smile in her eyes before they glared in amusement at Amanda.

“Then you truly live up to being the biggest dunce if you were foolish enough to think I would ditch my studies.” She answered with as she pulled her wand out and casted a spell. The part of the table that was under Amanda’s feet flowed with a green magic before it began to shine and glisten. Amanda stares at it for a moment before her feet slipped from the table almost making her fall back were it not for Jasminka holding her back.

“It’s best not to put your feet on the countertops Amanda.” Diana advised as she walked to her own table. Diana looked over her shoulder, a glint of a smile in her eyes at Amanda’s fired up look, the mischief in her green eyes and the Cheshire smirk that stretched her entire face. It was a nice feeling to know that she was getting better with everything that was happening.

  
There was a small buzz of conversation again, a few final questions asked until the professor came. “Everyone settle down,” she called as the noise simmered. “As you know, it’s the second day of Hearts week and as much as you want to go back into word hunting, your studies are also important.” There were a few groans across the silence, that was to be expected though so she let it slide as she continued. “Furthermore, the headmistress would like to comment that though her corridor has seen a lot of hearts form again it is has also seen a lot of heartbreak after one of them is expelled from doing a terrible act.”

A heavy silence weighed down on the students as Diana looked at her team who was still clinging to her words as she gave out examples of this. A writhing sense of guilt plagued her stomach and her hands moved to clench the sudden pang on her scar. She knows she shouldn’t think of these negative thoughts but she knows that her team and maybe the others would become magnets of this chaos. After all is there not a simpler way to get out of lessons and into her corridor than pulling a small fight with them?

Diana heard and read the many stories of these things happening and to her sadness it’s a more common way than any other. Littering and small dramas can result in after schools for it’s too simple of an act, destroying or violating school property is good enough but liable to exclusion. A fight, as long as the injuries are not as serious is bad, is enough to catch her attention but not enough to cause expulsion.

The thought once again curls a small pang of agony to Diana’s chest and the grip on her clothes tighten. She hopes that the pale face, the wince of a smile and the silent pleas in her eyes was enough to blend in with the uncomfortable look of the entire class as Lukic delves into more gruesome acts that happened around this time as she explained more and more rules.

Looking around, her mind was relieved that many people around shared a similar face, one of them even fainted and was being coaxed back into reality by her teammates. Though she couldn’t help but feel the gnawing pressure of someone’s gaze on hers. Diana glanced around before she catches Akko looking at her. The gaze sets a new faster beat of her heart as it slowly sinks at the hint of determination mixed with annoyance in those brown eyes before she glances back at Lukic.

Diana too looked away, her mind in confusion and her heart pounding against her ribcage. How Akko manages to see through her mask Diana desperately wishes to know. Granted she didn’t hide it but she thought that she hid it well amongst everyone else’s anguish. Though now was not the time for that, her head was too busy trying to decipher that message in her stern eyes. At least, that was her mind’s logical reason why she kept looking back at Akko when deep down she knew there was no logical reason at all.

**/-/**

The lesson already ended and the students rushed out of the room in lightning speed. They didn’t do much, they just sat there and listened. No notes were taken, the stories were fully ingrained into each head when she was done. Now every student there was fully aware of two things, the rules around Heart Weeks and consequences of breaking the rules. It wasn’t as harsh as the punishments of Necromancy but to a desperate student looking for love in a span of six days they were the worst they were going to get.

Diana already knew these rules already though and the stories didn’t hurt as much as her mind was already occupied with something or rather someone else. Thanks to this she was able to pack her things with relative ease and at her own slow pace since majority of the students were rampaging to the doors to either spill their breakfast or the sudden news. Though, despite initial thoughts, she wasn’t the only one taking her time.

“Diana!” Akko called as she walked over. Diana paused in her movements as she looked up. Already she knew trouble was at foot, Akko’s cheeks were already puffy and she didn’t say anything yet. Still, Diana gave her glance and continued to at least finish her action before giving Akko her full attention.

“Akko? Is there seem to be a problem?” Diana asked but they both knew that there is a problem between them.

“Diana,” Akko repeated as her brown eyes caught a stray spark and was set alight in a stubborn fiery way. “Please tell me that those looks came from the stories and not anything else, please tell me you visited the nurse yesterday.”

Diana didn’t want to look at her eyes in fear she would see disappointment. She did visit the nurse to tell her but in the infirmary she saw a small glimpse of someone who was with Miss Varian before she left her alone like a scapegoat and immediately Diana left. She hated the fact that she let some stranger make this fearful mark on her but Diana didn’t want to make this week even more of a hell than usual. She didn’t want to give them opportunity to do that to her.

“Of course I visited Akko it would be ill for my health if I didn’t.” It wasn’t a lie but it wasn’t the full truth either, she will go to the infirmary today again but after the lessons are done. She looked at Akko to see if her words were satisfactory only for her eyes to be caught in the sudden glare in those brown orbs.

“Diana…” Akko said, drawing the silence longer than expected. Diana paid no heed and began to walk away from her, her footsteps echoing in the empty classroom. “You didn’t get any medication did you?”

She knew the real answer be obvious if she stopped but somehow her legs froze at her question. Feelings of unease churned in her stomach, how did Akko knew that she wasn’t telling the full truth? If she managed to see things through then does that mean others as well can see it as well? “I’ll get some during break,” she admits as she continues walking, she can hear Akko’s footsteps behind her as she tries to keep up. She looked out of the door only to find the hallway be mostly vacant par from people trying to do a quick word hunting. “It seems we need to hurry so that we don’t become late to our next lesson Akko.”

Diana walked forward but she didn’t get far until she felt something grasp her hand. “Akko?” She asked with her face growing red as she tried to get her hand off but her grip was too tight.

Akko gave her a look of puffy cheeks and concerned stubborn eyes, “We’re going to get your medication.” Diana didn’t have a chance to breath before Akko began to drag her to her the infirmary.

“Akko,” she repeated as she pried her hands off her, “You don’t need to drag me there, I’ll be fine for one more hour besides I plan to visit later on in the day.” She truly appreciates her way of showing care however Akko needs to think about her actions and the thoughts of others. Not to mention her own safety, the more closer she was to Diana the more liable she is to harm due to her bad luck charm with her words. Which is why she needs to learn about personal space and not to be so up close to her face to the point where they’re inches apart.

“Diana.” Akko started, “Your health is more important than whatever we have to learn in that class, you need to go now.” Under her strong gaze Diana’s composition wavered but not enough for her to fully collapse.

“People will talk if I of all people arrived late to a lesson. I have expectations to meet within the student body and like I said before I’ll be fine for another hour.”

“Diana, Professor Badcock will understand if you need to be excused, you got hit by a spell two days ago, no one expected you to have a near full recovery in this short amount of time but somehow you made it possible but you know things will just get worse if you let them be untreated. You’re not some machine Diana, you’re a human who needs to rest and have medication.”

Diana didn’t really know how to respond. Akko’s points were decent ones but parts of her were still stubborn on going. “And I swear if you don’t get that by now I will carry you to the infirmary myself.” Akko added quickly.

Her recent comment broke Diana’s composure completely with a small snicker, her brow was raised as she leant away from the oblivious girl. “You think you’re able to carry me?” Diana asked, her face growing amused when Akko suddenly realised what she said. “That’s a bold claim there Akko but I’m not willing to test it today,” The awkward smile was wiped away into a big smile as Akko got the implied meaning.

“So you’ll go now?” she said excitedly as she walked away backwards.

“There is guaranteed to be hassle if I said no anyways.” Diana sighed as she followed Akko. “Let’s just hurry things along and maybe we won’t be as late.” Just as she said that the bell chimed across the hallway. There was collective gasp from students nearby apart from Diana who sighed with her fingers pinching the bridge of her nose. It was just her luck that the lessons have already started, it’s more of a shock that she was surprised in the first place. What more can go wrong?

“Diana!” Akko yelled pushing her between two large trophy cabinets before squeezing in herself. Diana shuts her eyes as dust envelopes her face as a horde of students stampede across the hallway. She leans away from the opening, facing towards the wall as Akko buries her head across her collarbone. The cabinets vibrate against her back and it only compels Diana to hug Akko closer to her chest.

They stay there for a few seconds before the dust and the noise dies down. Diana’s eyes open and her body is heaving from sudden adrenaline and fear. Her entire face resembles a tomato and the tips of hers were shining pink. Her heart was a race car, it’s sound was thunderous and it was speeding over a 100 miles per second. Strange foreign emotions were parading in her abdomen and for once the scar wasn’t the cause of it. If her mind was sane or working she would’ve attempted to distinguish whatever she was feeling but it was too absorbed in something completely illogical.

Like the smell of Akko’s shampoo in her hair, how her breathing sounded so soft despite the near disaster they were almost in. The way her arms were clung tight around her body and how their tight embrace left lingering warmth on her skin. These things collided Diana at once as a group and her mind for once was overwhelmed on what things to fully focus. It was completely illogical that after a near injury experience, where usually she could feel anguish on her scar or focus on the bad luck of her words, the mind focuses on those things.

“Oi Diana you were zoned out for a long time, are you alright?” Akko asked when Diana jolted at the sound of the bell.

“Yeah…” Diana admitted with a lost voice. She blinked twice to fully regain her senses, the colour on her face deepening when she realised what position they were in. “Well.” She coughed, turning to face the wall again. Once again Akko left her without words and the sound of Akko’s nervous high pitched laughter was the only thing she heard.

“I’m just going to uh-” Akko said as she began to move from position. Diana’s eyes closed as parts of her was flattened against the cabinet until Akko managed to squeeze her way out, collapsing on the floor in front of them. With the new found space Diana escaped with ease, helping Akko up the moment she could, it was the least she could do for saving her a bad bruise or injury.

“Let’s just ignore what happened and just head straight for the infirmary, hopefully there will be no other things that come our way.” Her voice was more stiff than she thought it would be and her steps were both stiff and quick. She heard Akko’s sound of embarrassed approval and her own quick pace and they continued the walk in comfortable silence, both lost in their own thoughts.

**/-/**

“Miss Cavendish, I was wondering when you would come back, I was quite surprised when you left so quickly yesterday.” The nurse said as she entered the room. Diana nodded as she sat on the bed before looking at Akko across the room.

“Well you seemed to have your hands full so I decided to leave it for tomorrow.” Diana answered back, the nurse hummed in return, looking over pages of a clipboard and back at her.

“Well as much as I appreciate the thought, your health is more important Miss Cavendish than my well being. It’s expected of me to deal with chaos of the first day, in fact I would’ve focused more on you as in spite of your quick recovery the lingers of that spell could damage you more if you let it.” She stops her ramblings and puts the clipboard. The nurse walks towards her before she bows making Diana be more surprised than anything else. “I deeply apologise to you Diana Cavendish for assuming with your level headed nature that your mind won’t fall back to negative thoughts, I failed to realise that you are just a child like any other student thus not giving you tablets straight away and for that I humbly apologise.”

“It’s fine, it’s also my fault for not staying yesterday so we are both to blame.”

The nurse gave her a quick smile before she headed back to a tray of medical equipment. “Fortunately, you arriving here at this time means I will able to fully exam you better, that way we can make your recovery be more better,” she glanced at Akko before turning to Diana with a gentle grin. “Would you rather want your soulmate to stay or leave, usually I would let them leave but since it’s a special event and because I assumed when I shouldn’t I’m willing to let it slide.”

Diana’s face furrowed in confusion, soulmate? No one said her words as far as she’s concerned and only her personal doctor knew the colour of words. It wasn’t until she looked at Akko with her hands covering her red face that she got the implication, her cheeks reddening in response. “S-she’s not my soulmate, ” Diana managed to stutter but she knows with the arched brow and bemused look that the nurse didn’t really believe her.

She hoped that Akko wasn’t her soulmate, the world needed the light Akko could bring if she managed to follow her dream. If she died because of her… Diana didn’t know if she could live with that fact. She heard a cackle inside her head and before she knew it, her mind was plunged into a chaotic state of daydream nightmares. She didn’t see much but she heard it all. The spell of an incantation, the sound of the words that plague her darkest nights, “Murowa…” Except this time she heard her own voice. She saw the green light behind a dying tree collide with a body. She doesn’t need to imagine anything else before agony erupted in her stomach. The sudden thought of Akko dying caused her heart to plummet, her body turning hollow as the breath was beaten out of her lungs. Diana could only gasp a fraction of her pain as she collapsed on the bed.

“Diana!” Akko yelled, jumping from her chair to help.

“Just roll up her sleeves!” The nurse called as she raced out of the room to fetch something.

Diana could just grasp the sensation of her hand being held as Akko came to her side. She could only see her mouth move but anything she said was white noise or shoved to the background as laughter engulfed her mind. Childish, sick laughter of the voice before it takes this opportunity to leave its chain and sends an assault of words that only made the agony grow.

She tries to keep her arm still as Akko unbuttons the sleeve and rolls it up. Within that time the nurse returns with a needle filled with pink liquid. With little hesitation, the nurse carefully injects the liquid into a spot on her arm. As quick as it’s arrival the pain starts to subside and Diana let out a sigh of relief, chains around the voice in her head shakes at it becomes mute.

“Dianaaaaa,” Akko weeps, a few tears leaving her face as she hugs Diana tightly. “I got so worried.”

“Akko…” Diana whispers, her face softening as she comforts her, patting her arm as they give her a small squeeze. “I’m going to be okay don’t worry.”

“I was so scared…” Akko whispers to her ear. “You looked like you were in deep pain and I was so scared that I couldn’t help you.”

Diana didn’t know what to say, she has never been in this situation before. Usually she’s the one crying over the person in the medic bay. Usually the only way she’s scaring people is through the effect of words as they isolate her in fear of catching its effect. She doesn’t know what’s it’s like to be the person to be worrying over. Even though Elizabeth gave her fair share of protective hugs, the tightness and warmth radiant from Akko’s embrace is foreign to her.

All Diana could do now is accept the tight embrace and she did, leaning closer to Akko’s hug as her eyes close. Her ears focus on the violent drumming of Akko’s heart and her rapid breathing after crying for her health.

“As much as I want to see this scene blossom, I need to ask you Miss Kagari to leave for safety reasons so that I can fully exam the scar so that we can fully combat these effects.” The Nurse ordered, drawing the curtain around her bed as Akko reluctantly stepped away from the bed. Diana gave Akko a reassuring glance as before the curtain is shields her vision where the silhouette remain on the other side. She watches as the silhouettes talk in muffled voices as they walk towards the door before Akko nods at her and leaves, closing the door with a click.

Within seconds later the nurse shows up again, her eyes once again with an apology. “I’m sorry about kicking her out Miss Cavendish but after the latest attack I will need to do a full test and you’re full cooperation, I fear your soulmate would be a subject of distraction.”

Diana’s face flushed red again as she looked aside. “She’s not my soulmate, I haven’t even found the person who bears my words.”

The nurse sighs as she looks back at the clipboard. “Very well Miss Cavendish, I will keep this affair private then, I realise it would damage your Cavendish name if found out. Diana lets out a sound similar to the broken noises of a screaming bird, the red in her cheeks turning a darker shade as she stammers out denials but the nurse pays no heed of them. “Now, for the tests…”

**/-/**

Diana went to her dorm room with a sigh, the bell for break rang minutes ago on her way there and she just managed to escape the armada of word hunting students. She walks to her bedside desk placing her new medication down as muffled echoes from outside filter from the near closed sliding door. She walks over, shutting the door fully. “I hate Hearts Week,” she mumbled as the main door is clicked open.

“Diana!” Barbara and Hannah said in unison as they walk up to her with relieved faces. Diana smiles at them as they approach before she glances at the whistle behind them.

Amanda stands at the doorway slightly awestruck at the size before she grins a smirk at her. “Damn Cavendish, the perks of being royalty huh?” Instantly she launches herself at the couch, feet up on the coffee table as Constanze and Jasminka walks in holding food, drinks and other goodies.

Diana looked at her with sigh, flicking her wand out to lift the table high enough that her legs were slipped off, hitting the floor with the thud. “Didn’t I tell you to leave your feet off the tables.” Amanda grumbled under her breath as Diana levitated the table back. “Besides, if you don’t mind me asking, what are you doing here?”

Amanda shrugged, returning back to her seat with one leg over the other. “The lessons are over ain’t they? So we can hang out now I guess, I mean there ain’t really reason, we just want to come here.”

“Amanda….tell the truth.” Jasminka suggested as she set up food and fruits on the table, taking a few grapes here and there. “Diana is our friend, we shouldn’t try to hide things from our friends.”

Amanda sighs, her nonchalant look and air of confidence dissipates as she unfurls her legs and look down at them. “Alright Jas if you say so.” She looks up at Diana and behind her cool exterior, Diana gasped in shock. She could see the sadness and tiredness blossom in her green eyes, Amanda’s carefree mask was gone and in front of her was the real Amanda who was tired, weary and looked very very vulnerable.

It was a sight she never thought she would see in such a rowdy, confident person but there it was. The spark of mischief dimmed in her green orbs and her smile towards her was as dead as her eyes. “We got nowhere else to go for lunch, it’s always too cramped in our rooms and with Heart’s week and what happened when you were gone we didn’t want to risk eating anywhere else.”

Amanda paused there, intaking a sharp breath as she looks away. Her hands trembling slightly as she turns the head more towards the couch. Constanze walked over to her, her stoic eyes softening as she stabilised Amanda’s hands whilst she stared directly into Amanda’s eyes saying a message no one but them understands.

Jasminka stands too, her sad smile on her face as she walks over to block the pair from Diana’s view before she turns to her. “We didn’t mean to intrude without your knowledge Diana. Hannah and Barbara allowed us in after hearing our plight. I hope you don’t mind with us staying here until Heart’s Weeks is over.” She bent over, bowing her head as she spoke, as she did Diana could see Constanze embracing Amanda, the latter burying her head into her shoulder.

“What did happen when I was gone?” She asked turning to her teammates for answers as Jasminka went to look after her team. Parts of her blamed herself for this mess for the increased effect of her words began to spread, another part reminded her that she didn’t cause anything of this thus she shouldn’t be concerned with their unhappiness. Her self hate only grew for the fact that she thought of the latter.

“We were making chocolates and had to work in small groups of three…” Hannah started as she looked at her hands as they fiddled with each other. “Because you or Akko weren’t there at the start I worked with someone else.” Instantly Diana’s face fell, her heart plummeted to her scar as a slight twitch occurred there. Diana was glad she took the pill for it downplayed the pain but she knew she deserved the full force for this. She knows Hannah and Barbara hates being separated, she hates that she caused this.

“It’s not your fault though,” Barbara assured, “We managed to make each other chocolate without the other knowing so it still worked out.” To further prove her point, Barbara went to her bag and produced two, near identical chocolate hearts, the only difference between them was the letter in the middle. Diana smiled at her for the reassurance as she looked at Hannah to carry on her story.

“At the end, we were given a period to give our chocolate to people in the class or a general time to chat. A person in my group gave Amanda chocolate…” she paused, as her face flickers to disgust. In that beat second, Diana realised that Hannah’s voice was the only one speaking, the soft murmuring of comfort was gone from the green team. “It had her words on it.”

Diana heard Amanda’s breath hitch followed by a shaky breath and Diana closed her eyes so that she doesn’t intrude on their private moment. In her head the voice screamed at her, cackling with laughter as she accused her of this pain. That she was a curse on all she loved and all who cares about her. For a second she almost believed it but she knew her priorities lied somewhere else.   
  
“You three are absolutely welcomed to stay at our dorm room if needed.” Diana said in that instant. All three of them looked at her as she in turn smiles at them. “I’m sure Professor Badcock made the student be in trouble but when I find out who did it I’ll give them hell.” Diana snarled looking at them for approval and then at her own teammates with both wide grins equalling each other’s.

“Ah geez,” Amanda grinned as she wiped her hands across her face. “This room is so dusty Diana, you gotta clean it sometime.”

Diana laughed, as her arms crossed against her chest. “Well then, I believe you can fix the problem yourself as punishment for keeping your feet on the table.” Around them a ring of laughter is formed, the happy mood slowly recovering.

Amanda laughs back at her with her usual spark in them. She gets up and hangs one arm around her neck as she gives a big side hug. “Come on Diana, you know you don’t need to say that to your new best friend now.”

“Best friends? As far as I’m concerned we were acquaintances last week, since when there was this sudden jump?”

“Time flies when you’re having fun?” Amanda grins with a shrug.

Diana gives her a deadpan look, “Yes, the world just seemed to speed up from the amount of fun we were having at Potion making.”

“Oi,” Amanda retaliated, poking Diana in the forehead. “Don’t be a downer and bring that lesson up.”

Something vile swirled in her stomach, whispers from her inner voice telling her that she caused this hissed in her ears. A sense of foreboding that told her not ask what happened when she was gone and to just listen to Amanda. However for for own health, for she knows the unease won’t leave, Diana needs to ask despite every part of her saying not to. “What, did happen whilst I was gone?”

“Heyyy what did I tell you Diana? Don’t be such a downer, nothing much happened just people being assholes because of my words.” Amanda sighed, pinching Diana’s cheeks. Diana pulled away from her touch with a sound of disapproval. She wanted to believe her, that it was a small act that didn’t mean much but experience taught her that there was something more to her story.

“Besides,” Amanda smirked at her with mischievous spark in her eyes. “I want to know instead why you and Akko didn’t arrive with us and why she was all red when she returned…” Diana’s memory flashed to their squashed positioning when the late stampede of students came down their corridor and before she even tried to stop it the smallest red tinge was on her cheeks. From the distance it won’t be as visible but for someone close like Amanda is, the faint blush was clear as day.

“Hey Diana, what’s this blush I see here?” Amanda laughs as Diana wriggles free from her side hug, huffing her face as she looked else where from her. “I have no idea on what you’re talking about Amanda.”

“That is one big lie and you know it Cavendish,” Amanda smirks, unaware of the audience she now gained behind her. “You know full well what a blush is and if you don’t just look in your mirror or something.”

“Eh? Diana is blushing?” Barbara gasped, leaving her seat next to Hannah as she rushes over, the latter following her route.

“I assure you girls there is no such thing on my cheeks,” Diana said, still turning away from them but finds herself unable to hide from eyes on both sides of her face.

“Oh my god she actually is!” Hannah exclaimed as she looks at Barbara who has an equal excited grin. “Did someone say your words? Did you meet your soulmate today Diana?”

Usually the those phrases like ‘her words’ and ‘soulmate’ would stab her heart whilst the voice in her head brings out the memory reel and she is plunged into a twisting downwards spiral of self hate and loathing. Instead however, the words make her mind bring out a completely different reel than usual. The memory of the infirmary plays in her head and how the nurse constantly asks if she was and Akko were soulmates. Lost in the memory, Diana wasn’t aware how red her face was to the entire group around her.

“Oh my god you actually did!” Barbara squealed, as she held Diana’s arm. “I’m so happy for you!” She congratulated, her happiness being expressed in her shaking motion which snaps Diana out of her memory.

“Sorry?” Diana asked as she looks around her, Hannah and Barbara’s face were filled with radiant smiles, tears tickling the corner of Barbara’s eyes as she held her arm tighter. She looked at everyone else for explanation and was even more confused when Amanda’s face didn’t contain a smile but an annoyed look.

“Apparently you meet your soulmate Diana and I must congratulate you for meeting that special someone.” Jasminka smiled at her making Diana blink.

“I don’t know where you heard that but I assure you I haven’t meet my soulmate yet.” Diana said as the smiles on Hannah and Barbara fell whilst Amanda’s face rose. They would know if she met her soulmate considering how fast things fly in the school. She would be there hearing the final words of a dead student and she’ll get the brunt of the blame for it due to the colours of her words.

“Are you sure? Because you blushing big time Diana.” Hannah said as she wipes her once happy tears.

“I am sure,” Diana affirmed hoping enough time has passed for the colour of cheeks to die down.

“Okay now that’s done,” Amanda barged in between the Hannah and Barbara much to their annoyance before prodding a finger against Diana’s chest. “What I want to know what you were doing with Akko that made you two blush?”

Diana’s cheeks darkened more as she stammered away, the memory returning once more. “T-t-thats none of your business.”

“She and Akko were pinned in a small space together,” A different more duller voice spoke from the door.

“Sucy,” Lotte chided behind her, “You weren’t suppose to tell them!”

Sucy sighed as she walked in and dropped off paper cups and Lotte dropped off the paper plates. “They would know eventually, Amanda would hound at her until Akko spilled.”

“Damn straight I would,” Amanda grinned as she gave a wicked glance to Diana that told her she was not done with her yet before rushing to the plates. “Now let’s eat I’m starving.”

Diana looked around, noticing the absence of a familiar presence. “Should we not wait for Akko to arrive?”

Amanda snickered as she filled her plate still. “Nah she’s too busy staying with Ursula for her detention,” she paused to look up at Lotte. “It’s her last day today right?”

“Last day of what? And why is she in detention again?” Diana asked, worry beginning to swarm that her stubbornness to go the infirmary made her pay the price for being late.

“Last day of her detention because she was too busy playing your knight in shining armour and knocked out 5 people remember,” Amanda laughed as she sat down on the couch.

“Ten.” Sucy sighed as she filled her plate up as well.

“I had one eye at the time Sucy!” Amanda shouted as she gave the mushroom girl an annoyed glare.

Sucy looked up and her one visible eye glanced at her bang then back at her, “So did I Amanda,” she said before continuing to get other food. Amanda growled at her as the others laugh at her antics, Diana would as well but she still couldn’t get the unwelcoming sense of foreboding in her stomach. Something was going to happen and Diana didn’t know what and that scared her. Even when the pain was reduced to a mere fraction of its real force, Diana still clutched the fabrics over her scar.

**/-/**

There calm before the storm didn’t happen for Diana didn’t feel calm at all and everyone in the room was loud as they were fun. The lunch they brought was eaten and now they were on desserts and everything was fine, or at least to Diana it looked fine. Amanda was involved with an arm wrestle with Jasminka with Hannah being the referee, Sucy and Constanze was on the couch watching them as the small robot cheered both of them on. Lotte and Barbara were discussing Nightfall and Barbara was finally opening her chocolate Hannah made for her.

There wasn’t even a storm, it was more like a bullet to her heart. A sudden calamity where you would only hear the ripples in the air and the impact of that small bullet after the firing of the gun. It killed her or in this case, Barbara.

After the first block of chocolate was in her stomach Barbara’s face paled as the colours of her eyes dimmed, her talking broke like a forced stop of a vinyl player.

“Barbara?” Lotte asked as she touched her shoulder. She shared a nervous glance to Diana who sat up from her chair whilst Barbara groaned.

“Hannah.” Diana called in an instant before racing towards her teammate. Not surprisingly Hannah beat her there, both her hands on Barbara’s shoulders.

“Barbara are you okay?” She called her eyes wide with fright, Lotte backed away and the merry atmosphere sobered as Barbara groaned softly. “Barbara what happened, its me Hannah, talk to me please.” She begged, one hand on her cheek before she recoils it. “Diana her skin is ice cold!” She shouts, tears flowing from her eyes as she turns to her.

“Amanda, take your team and get a teacher.” She ordered, before she looked at Akko’s team. Amanda was already racing the moment she turned her head to face them. “Lotte contact Akko so that she can tell professor Ursula.”

Behind her are more cries of Hannah, pleas to make her talk. “We need to lie her down Hannah.” Diana said as she helps Barbara to rest on the couch as her teammate dissolves to a frantic mess.

“Barbara!” Hannah cries as her body shakes. Diana doesn’t know what is happening, she doesn’t know what’s going on, only a logical reason why. The effects of her words started to hit, and the first victims were her two closest friends.

“She’s going to be fine,” she assures as she checks her vitals, her face paling even as she waits for a pulse. After the second mimics an eternity Diana felt a heartbeat.

“What’s wrong with her Diana?” Hannah asked as she looks at her. Diana wants to answer but she doesn’t know herself.

“She’s been poisoned.” A voice spoke to the left of them as they turned to face it. Sucy glared at Hannah’s chocolate heart that remain untouched on the floor. She looks up at them, a deadly cloud of poisonous smoke in her eye. “It’s something that mimics death but only for a day.”

In front of Diana, Hannah collapses to the floor, her eyes wide only fixated on her chocolate she made for her. “I did that.” Hannah gasped as Diana sat down to hug her.

“No you didn’t,” she whispers to ear as Hannah weeps to her chest. “You would rather get hit with a curse than hurt Barbara, you didn’t hurt her.” Hannah pauses in her crying and looks at Diana who in turn gives her a fierce look. “When I find out who really did it and used you as a tool, they would wish they were in hell after I’m done with them.”

“Barbara….” Hannah weeps as Professor Ursula burst through the door with Akko in tow along with other medical staff. She instantly left Diana’s embrace as Hannah was being carted off in a stretcher. “I need to come with her!”

“Hannah…” Diana calls as she too stands, her face crestfallen and broken as Professor Ursula tries to calm her down with reassurance that Barbara would be fine.

“She’s my soulmate!” Hannah yells causing all eyes to turn on her. Diana’s new medication becomes nothing to the writhing pain sweeping across her body. She knows it’s only a mere fraction to the pain Hannah feels right now.

“Please… I won’t be fine unless I’m with her.”

Professor Ursula hesitates one more time before she nods her head. Hannah instantly walks behind the medical staff who holds the ground and won’t let her touch or hold Barbara’s hand. Within seconds the once vibrant room is turned to silent and Diana is left alone, tears streaming her face.

She caused this. She and her stupid black words. The worst thing about it was that it was Tuesday, she expected this around the end but if this was the beginning…. Diana didn’t want to know what happened on the final days of Heart’s Week. She didn’t even want to think what would happen tomorrow, each day usually becomes more worst than the last after all.

Her thoughts freeze at the sudden pressure on her back and two hands wrapping around her waist as they cup over her scar. “Diana…” She hears Akko whisper in her ear. She didn’t expect them to stay after this hassle, nor for Akko to hug her once again. “They’re going to be okay. We’re going to find who did this as well.”

“It was the other person Hannah worked with probably,” Sucy suggested as she looked back at the chocolate. “They were wearing the same coloured sash after all.”

Diana’s face fell and her legs could no longer hold her upright and she collapses in Akko’s arms, her face expressing every pain she had inside her. Once again Akko supports her as she helps her to the couch. “Diana where’s your medication?”

Diana gives a look to her bookcase that separates her bed from Hannah and Barbara and Akko runs to it in lightning speed as Lotte takes her space. “Dianaaaa,” she cries as she flounders around her, not sure what to do. Even Sucy looked shocked to see her in this much pain but her attention on Diana is gone when something small crashes through the glass door of the balcony. It seemed that her words were not done with the torture yet.

On the floor was a rock wrapped in paper and a thin thread to hold it together. Sucy walks towards it, opening it when she’s away from any more possible projectile attacks. Akko ignores the glass on the floor when she returns, her feet crushing them into smaller pieces. In her hands was the new medication but they never reached Diana. Instead paper was in her face and through her pain, Diana could read the simple threat in black school ink.

_The other one is left before we turn to you, you plaguespawn lover Cavendish._

Diana could hear the echoes of Hannah’s scream before the anguish in her system overwhelms her and shuts her entire body down.

In her head there is nothing, nothing but the sick laughter of a child.


	9. Chapter 8~Wednesday

Diana heard laughter, sick, poisonous high pitched laughter. It engulfed her ears in an never ending loop. It didn't help that she was surrounded by darkness before she was ripped back to see white, then black against white, then the numbers.

Her breathing ceased to exist. Her eyes quivering in their sockets as the numbers, the dates of Heart week just keep appearing and disappearing.  The day, the month, the year, always changing yet the memories locked into those cursed dates remain. As each year passes, moving closer to the present, her heart is ruptured with constant piercing aches that only fragment her heart even more. Each distant memory piles on top of the other like a huge compilation of self-tragedies and mishaps.  

The laughter still rings. That childish laugh that never ends. Only now it's accompanied by the ticks and the tocks of millions of clocks that surround the canvas of her mind. Diana looks at herself, at her body, at her arms as they all tremble. Her hands grip the side of her head, her mouth screaming but nothing comes out. Just more high pitched giggles and laughter.

Her arm is glowing, smoke searing from the cursed black brand on her porcelain skin. Her eyes clench as the intense heat rolls off her words, the laughter morphs into screaming cackles mixed with the slurs she heard growing up.

_Rattus_

_Plaguespawn_

_Devil’s daughter_

_Killer_

_Curse_

"Stop..." she pleas to the hidden depths of her brain. "Please."

The silent returns, though it wasn't a comfort. Diana knows it was the tense calm before the storm of torment.

She opens one eye, the blue iris jolting in its place as she catches the smoke rising from her words. It coagulates and forms in front of her, into an upper half body of a figure she sees in the chambers and dungeons of her mind. Black smoke adorns her white cracked skin, it's long thin scars running across her arms, collarbone and face as they mimic the failed attempts of trying to fix a broken doll. Tarnished and Tattered hair of pale blond became a nest on her head. The cut lips form a smirk of confidence and arrogance.

How strange was it, to see a child of yourself be a devil to your own present sanity. Diana can see her words flicker and reflect on its plump cheekbones, the small tainted font on its own arms. It giggles again, the sound forcing her other eye to open as she looks at it properly. Diana tries not to look at its eyes but the empty abysmal void within the sockets draws her closer until she knew the abyss was staring right back at her.

"Another week," it giggles, the childish laughter returning. Diana stays silent, her mind focusing on the thick chains that slowly drift around its misty form.  "Two days passed~" it sings, a click of its broken hands and a cinema screen is shown. Diana automatically looks down to avoid the trip down memory lane until the cold burning touch of the being is against her chin, forcing her to look up at the events of yesterday. The corners of her eyes twitch with little droplets of water at the current scene in front of her.

"And already you formed chaos..."

"I will end you, you monster. " Diana seethed, tears streaming down her eyes as her eyes glare into the black void of the other. Behind it, she hears the soft rattles of chains interlocking and intertwining but the inner demon in front of her pays no thought.

"Oh, but Diana...." she whispers, soft yet deadly.

The broken body fades and shimmers, morphing into something more monstrous. The cracks on her skin piece together, the acute sound of bones popping into place echoes as the skin joins once more, the skin becomes less pale, the hair grows longer, the colour returning as blue irises bloom in the hollow emptiness of her eyes.

"I am you..." the once doll now a carbon copy of Diana smirks as the chains lock into place with a loud clink and Diana's world is sucked away into the abyss and she returns to the familiar sight of her bedroom once more.

Diana didn't even get a chance to breath before agony attacks her again. The scar on her stomach turns against itself and Diana is forced out of breath as her hand scrambles against the desktop near her. Her body writhing against the sheets, her hand moving blindly until the rattle of the bottle becomes hope in form of sound. Diana opens the bottle before popping her medication pill into her mouth.

The tension behind her eyes relaxes as they open in slow motions, blinking out the blurry vision bit by bit as it stabilises on the row of books in front of her. In slow cautious movements, Diana sits up, her hands no longer tremble that much as the medication Akko forced her to receive yesterday vanishes the effects as quickly as it could. Diana is left alone in the semi-darkness of the early morning. Diana stays still, in hopes to try and relax however she found the concept difficult as the silence gnawed at her.

Her mind flickers back to yesterday and there came another ache to her heart. Diana felt a twitch on her side as she breathed in and out, a long steady process that only makes the silence be even more unbearable. Despite many would assume Diana never found herself before in complete silence. Yes, she would be alone but never in her own dorm would she be lonely. In the mornings the sound of Hannah and Barbara's soft snores and rustles become a safe house to her sanity. Even when she was isolated Diana knew she wasn't alone and that made early mornings and late nights more bearable.

The present silence was eerie, it was like she was in a foreign land with monsters surrounding her. The shadows of the room only grew darker and despite being surrounded by everything there was little to distract herself with from the lingering thoughts in her head.

So under the covers of the silence, they all came back to haunt her. Each mistake that she caused with the effect of her words ravished her mind in sudden pictures that flash all too suddenly and hits her like lightning striking the earth. From the potions to the attack… then what happened afterwards.

She remembers waking up, late in the afternoon before Akko weeps and hugs her tightly, Lotte’s sighs of relief as Sucy looks at her, a small smile and an incomprehensible mumble under her breath. She remembers being in her room still, the window was still broken but the fragments were no longer on her floor and how the threat was tossed away to the floor, her medication right in front of her face. She remembers the urge, the need to visit her teammates, how Hannah’s screams stick to her like a banshee’s and made her mind go deaf and blind. The only focus was on the well-being of her teammates to the point she didn't even register that she was too weak to stand, collapsing against Akko who of all people tells her off for being impatient and Diana, even in her fatigued state, glares at her with a hypocritical look.

She remembers being cared for and looked after and the guilt for it, the need of leaving them alone in fear of them being next to have her bad luck but Akko wouldn't let her have it. So there she was, walking to the infirmary, Lotte and Sucy walking near her with watchful eyes. How she stands like nothing is wrong like she doesn't hear the whispers around her that are mute under Akko’s glare.She was just exhausted, so tired of everything. Her mind was too busy worrying that she wasn't even aware that Akko held her hand briefly until she felt the reassuring squeeze that she needed, a look her way that told her not to worry. In any other circumstance, she would've believed it.

She wanted to know why they weren't there before and in hindsight, it should've been obvious. If they were spotted leaving the room with an unconscious Diana the student body would go in an uproar. Not to mention she knew compared to Hannah and Barbara her pain was nothing to them. It wasn't worth any attention.

Her mind stops there. The cawing of the morning crows snaps her out of her running through memory lane. Diana sighs, rubbing her arms as she leaves her bed. The day has started and she needs to prepare.

“Girls, it's time to-” her words die in her throat, agony rumbles near her scar again as she stares at the empty beds. Tears prick the corner of her eyes as the sight flashes her back to yesterday.

Barbara’s skin was deathly pale, even paler than Diana’s own skin tone. Her lips were kissed with the hints of midnight blue if you touch her, she was ice. She did not move, her chest did not rise nor fall. The only proof of her living was the silent beat of her heart muffled under the heavy fake death curse placed upon her. That and how her hand was not limp but clenched so tightly to Hannah’s hand, the one now decorated with light burns and tongues of flames branded on her fingertips.

The flames were russet of colours and adorned her entire arms, the tips nicking part of her shoulder blades. It was not a real burn but the pain was real enough to cost the assailant expulsion if caught. It was the mark of a small but long-lasting curse, a day long curse.  Hannah’s body believes her arms are burning, causing major irritation and minor pain. Her mind is merely tricked to feel a pain that wasn't really there. The curse, however, is left restricted for obvious reasons and the dark history relating to the curse. That was all the nurse would give to Diana, along with the fact that the brands will disperse when the curse is gone. The painful expression on her face, the fact that making her be unconscious was the best option for Hannah told Diana everything that was left unsaid concerning her condition.

Diana’s mind came back to the present quicker than she fell back to the past. It was like she came back from drowning, her body was leaning against the wooden bookcase. A fist clutching against her nightgown, her eyes fixed to the ceiling for anywhere else would just hurt her even more. The tears sting, they create holes in her heart as she staggers to the bathroom. To cry, to forget about yesterday, to isolate herself in self-blame. She thinks back to Hannah and Barbara, how they rely on her to protect them, they gave her their backs to trust and she stabbed them in the back with turmoil and misery. Oh how she hates Heart’s week, she hates hurting the people she cares about. She wasn’t looking forward to this week.

**/-/**

“Diana.”

Diana looked up from her discussion with Jasminka, the girl was being extremely kind to her, offering condolences in form of sweets and baked goods and was asking Diana for Hannah and Barbara’s preferences and allergies. Her smile became rigid as her blue eyes locked with the headmistress. She didn't look happy nor sad, her face was neutral like a calmness behind a storm. Diana knew, however, from how tired her eyes were that behind this mask is a hurricane of wear, perhaps her eyes were once a flood of sadness.

“Headmistress,” Diana nodded, rising to her feet. She gave a glance to Jasminka who smiled, nodding as well to Headmistress Holbrook before departing around the corner to find either Amanda or Constanze, maybe Akko if her luck would have it.

“Have you ever seen the Jennifer memorial tree after its recovery?” She asked the moment Jasminka’s steps were only lingering echoes.

Diana gave her a small smile, her mind flickering back to when Akko was with her underneath the tree. “I have, it's quite fascinating really, the contrast of what it was once before is awe-inspiring.”

Holbrook smiles at her, she turns around, walking in calm steps, “With all the Hearts Weeks happening I haven't had the time to, would you like to escort me there?” She looks back, over her shoulder, a calm smile that Diana couldn’t say no to, mainly because it held a message that only she understood. They’re were finally going to discuss the events of yesterday.

Diana’s spine straighten as questions swirled in and around her head, who did it? What would happen and more importantly what did they want with her? She takes a deep breath, a way to force her fears out of her system. A forced smile stretches on her face as she marches, hoping to hide the small twitches in her strides. to Holbrook’s side. “I'll be honoured to Headmistress.”

Silence occupied both of them as they strolled across the various hallways, the surrounding noises around them were muted despite the big presence of students. It was like they were in their own separate world, a nonverbal spell that eased Diana. They did nothing though, they all knew better to question the headmistress when she was walking. Confusion rumbled under Diana’s calm expression as they walked but she knew there was a reason, like her fellow students she knows she shouldn’t question the headmistress.

They were on the bridge, the same one where Diana saw Akko in the skylines, the same one where Diana had her first side effect attack. The thought made her side twitched with a brief pinch of pain, Diana focused instead on the sudden rush of sound around them. The string harmony of wind dancing around leaves and trees accompanied with the vocal rhythm of various birds that soared across the sky, it created this beautiful symphony that she didn’t even realise Holbrook asked her a question. “Pardon?” Diana asked, the face of awe morphing into a small sheepish smile.

Holbrook sent her a kinder smile, one of understanding as she too stopped to gaze the scenery around them. The content in her eyes, however, hardened as a wistful sigh left her lips, “I asked about your wellbeing Diana, how are you coping with...?”

Diana’s face turned away from the view of the pattern of cobblestone beneath her feet, the silence filling up around them once more.  She knew what Holbrook was talking about, even if she didn’t say it. The implications were enough to send her mood solemn and her eyes lost and already in grief as if the way her hands clench the fabrics of her shirt wasn’t enough of a sign to tell her she wasn’t coping well.

“I see..” Holbrook murmured as Diana saw her concerned eyes staring. She looked up to catch Diana, sympathy with a hint of seriousness swam in her eyes. “Are you going to be alright to talk about this yet Diana?” Diana nodded her head, her body sucking up a tight breath as she fought back the pain gripping at her side. “I need to hear you say it.”

“I…” Diana stopped, mentally cursing at the obvious unease in her tone. Her eyes hardened with determination as she swallowed the rest of the worry down. “I’ll be fine Headmistress.” She looks back at her, her hand leaving the side in spite of the small subtle twitches it still produces. “Better to combat the scenario now than later.”

Holbrook holds her gaze on her in absolute silence before she takes another sigh and continues walking forward. “This incident Diana isn't a light topic,” she begins with a harsh look on her face, the irises in her eyes turning murderous. “It's heavy, dark and disgusting to think someone would do something like this under my care of the school.” Spite and hatred were evident in her voice, the harsh bite in her words proved it. “Rest assured Diana, once these students are caught they would be against heavy actions and erased from the history books of Luna Nova, no matter the achievement they earned.”

Meanwhile, Diana held her tongue in absolute silence, her eyes growing more wider and concern at Holbrook’s voice, the smile spreading more wider that those people who acted against them would be dealt with appropriately. She waited for a beat of pause before speaking, the doors opening to them as she does so.“Do you have any idea on who they are?”

“Yes and no,” Holbrook grimaced. “The first year students were found easily and was suspended for the rest of the week along with various other punishment. However, they're only scapegoats…” Holbrook pauses as the tree stands in front of them, the darkness in her eye fades momentarily as warmth shines through it. Diana doesn't stare at the tree, only the shaded area underneath. The laughter of days ago whispered in her ears, tickled her spirits as the lingering taste of Akko’s chocolate tingled on her lips. She can almost see them relaxing underneath the tree, a memory that she will always treasure.

“The main antagonists we have to deal with are members of the final year of Luna Nova.”

Everything around her stops. The sound, the memory, the laughter, it all shatters. Diana’s face pales to a hollow colour, her fingers tremble as she tries to steady herself, trying to reconnect herself with her surroundings, her senses.  It doesn't work. In fact, she almost collapses to the ground as the full danger of her opponents dawns on her. Her arm holds latches onto the headmistress’ shoulder, a mumble of apologies leave her lips. She doesn't say anything.

“The 4th years,” Diana laughs bitterly after a while, her body regaining enough strength to hold her own. “That explains everything.” They were only the ones capable of hurting her teammates with ease. They were the brightest in the school, capable of doing many things Diana couldn't quite yet grasp.

“Do you understand the severity of the situation Diana? You must understand now that from this point onwards I don't want you or anyone else to be involved.”

Diana shakes her head, a bitter sigh on her face. “I can't back out headmistress I'm sorry. I'm going to be involved no matter what.”

“Diana.” Headmistress urges, pulling Diana down so that they meet face to face. “Please,” she stresses, urges. The expression in her eyes causes a pool of guilt to swarm in her stomach but Diana pushes it away. “I don't want to see what happened to Elizabeth to happen to you.”

The mention of her cousin pulls Diana back to reality. The image of her in an infirmary bed tackles her mind, the unpleasant shivers crawl down her spine. Still, she needs to be involved, somehow. Doing nothing irked her more than anything else, especially when she is capable of doing something. “Please, let me be involved somehow, I can't just do nothing Headmistress.”

“You can wait.” Holbrook looks at the opening and Diana’s eyes follows, just catching the glimpse of a familiar brown hair. “And recover.” Her voice reaches an airy tune making Diana turn to her, caught off guard at the tender smile. “Seeing you be unaffected by their actions will hurt them more than whatever you will do to them, Diana.” Holbrook pats her cheeks before walking to the opening. “I'll keep you informed of the situation but you will do nothing Diana Cavendish, understand?” She calls as she reaches the entrance, leaving Diana speechless near the tree.

It didn't feel right to do nothing. For a person always doing something to help others... it felt wrong. Her mind snaps back to reality at the sound of Akko’s voice, the cheerful smile and grin as she races up to her. The sight brought an idea to her head and it almost made her laugh at the thought of it. Sneaking off after her rounds to do something the headmistress doesn’t want her to do, how in the world did Diana come to that conclusion? It was absurd. Her eyes gleam as they catch Akko’s usual spark, her voice speeding off as always do before it's cut off with the snark comment of Amanda’s words shouted behind her. However… If they were able to do it, sneaking off that it is, why not her?

**/-/**

“What… are you doing here?”

“Diana!” Akko yelps before she tumbles to the ground, a gust of dust rising around her. “Hi?” she says with a nervous laugh, scratching the back of the neck as she ignores Diana’s unimpressed gaze. “I didn’t think to see you around here, what a strange coincidence.”

“Indeed,” Diana murmurs as she crosses her arms, “Quite strange for us to meet outside of curfew hours.” She hears Akko’s obvious guilty gulp as her eyes scan the interior design, fully recognising where they are in Luna Nova. “And in the floor for our upperclassmen as well, very strange indeed.” She didn’t intend for her words to hold such passive aggressiveness but it was expected, she didn’t expect to have someone to be in her way, at least not by Akko of all people. She was this close on finding some clues on who was responsible for Hannah and Barbara’s condition. That reminds her, she didn’t answer her question yet.

“Hehe... you’re not that mad… right?”

Diana looks down on her. There is a breath pause of silence, a beat that didn’t seem to end before Diana sighs, the annoyed look in her eyes dissipating into nothing as she walks up to Akko. She extends her hands to her, “I was, however, not anymore Akko.” Akko grins at her as Diana heaves her up from the ground though it falters when Diana’s annoyed expression didn’t change at all. Upon seeing that there were no physical injuries of her clumsy fall, Diana turns and walks in the direction of the stair heading down. “I’ll escort you back to the lower floors now Akko before someone else catches you and lands you into detention.”

“Wait, so I’m not getting detention?”

Diana sighs again, she didn’t need to see her face to know that Akko was grinning like a fool she was behind her, she can hear the obvious joy emitting from her words. “Yes-” she begins before her body was assaulted from behind, the remainders of her sentence being stolen and used as kinder for the fire burning in her cheeks. Akko was too close for comfort, the way her arms wrap around her waist in a protective manner, how her hair buried against her back sends soft tingles down her spine. It was all too sudden for Diana’s taste.

‘Thank you so much, Diana!” Akko smiles as she hugs her tighter, completely oblivious to the effect it was having on the person inside her loving embrace. Her words sent tingles across her arms, a sudden beat in her chest that Diana didn’t understand she was having.

“Don’t be too happy.” Diana retorts back as she squirms her way out of the surprise hug. She turns back to her, hoping the light from the sprite didn’t illuminate the tints on her cheeks and that Akko mistook it for anger instead of embarrassment, “Whether you get detention or not fully depends on how you answer this question.” She steps forward, the light illuminating the piercing look in her eyes, the curiosity deep inside the blue irises. “What are you doing here?”

Akko didn’t have time to answer her question, the sound of other people echoed from the corner in the far distance became Diana’s priority especially as it was approaching in running speed. “Quickly,” Diana said as she grabbed Akko’s hand and ran, ignoring Akko’s sounds of surprise and the shouts of the upperclassmen of behind them.  Diana didn’t have time for any more interruptions, nor for Akko to get in trouble for a reason she didn’t understand yet.

“Don’t look back Akko in case they recognise your face,” Diana advised as she pulls Akko to her side so that she doesn’t lag behind. Akko looks at her briefly, exaggerated confusion on her face as she whispers questions of surprise at her. Diana doesn’t answers, instead, she pulls Akko to a sharp corner then up against a wall. She quickly hands Akko the sprite lamp as the other grabs her wand from her sash. Her eyes close, murmurs of Latin words leave her lips in a stream, the tip of her wand glowing as a wall was fabricated into being where the entrance was.

Seconds later Diana’s eyes open, her head automatically twists to see the wall between them, all looking very solid and real. Diana breathes out a relieved smile, using the back of her hand to wipe away the sweat from her forehead. “Thank Goodness,” she laughs, this was the first time she used a second year’s spell asides from personal practice, she was worried it wouldn’t work but it appears her worries were for nought.

“Diana?” Diana jumps at the sound of her name, her wand up as she turns around before it lowers at the familiar sight of Akko looking all too shocked and flabbergasted. “You _are_ Diana right?”

Diana gives her a look, a retort on her tongue before she turns back to the wall and the muffled sounds from the other side. “Let’s go,” Diana orders as she runs ahead of Akko. “That wall won’t last long if one of them knows the counter spell.”

**/-/**

“I believe we’re in the clear now.” Diana sighs as she looks around them. They’re in broom landing area and were far from the upperclassmen who are probably still on the prowl for them, fortunately when they were hiding before Diana heard them speaking and managed to give the impression they were looking for second year students opposed to the first year students that they were. “Now,” she said, turning to Akko was resting on the floor, staring at the nighttime scenery. “Answer my question Akko, why were you up there?”

“Why were you up there is what I want to know,” Akko questions instead, turning around as she gives Diana jaw-slack expression. “And also, what was _that?_ ”

Diana gives her a raised brow, feigning innocence, she knows clearly what Akko was talking about but was she talking about one scenario or the entire scenario as a whole? “What was what Akko?”

“ _That_!” Akko exclaimed again as she falls back to the ground, eyes up at the constellations as her hands fiddled around creating inaccurate mimics of what just happened to them. “The whole chase scene, the advice stuff when we were running, how do even know that? Don’t forget the wall!” She looks at Diana, still laying down with a grin on her face. “What was that spell?” she ends with slight awe.

Diana looks at her for a second, slightly annoyed at the discarded question she asked Akko. She finds herself looking back at Akko’s eager expression, emotions fading away once again before walking over to sit next to her. “May I?” she asks pointing at the space next to her. Akko nods and sits up, shuffling to create more space. Diana allows a moment of silence to pass between them, absorbing the feeling of air dancing around her dangling legs before she speaks.

“If you must know,” she begins, looking at Akko with a small but proud smile. “The wall was a second-year spell used to create a physical wall made to hide and protect the person inside from searching spells among other things, the spell itself only last for an hour unless someone is able to counter it.”

“Wow Diana, I didn’t realise you could do second-year spells! You’re so amazing!” Akko leans forward, pure admiration dazzling in her maroon eyes.

Diana blinks at the praise, the cheeks igniting with a warm flame without her permission, Akko was getting too close for comfort again. “Thank you Akko,” she clears her throat as she leans back, finding solace at the scenery around her. “As for the advice,” a hint of a smile was traced on her lips. “It’s one our dear friend Amanda said back in the very beginning of the year, before you were here, true to her word it was rather hard to identify her as the person responsible for all these wild goose chases until I recognised that her and the thief's manner of speaking were one and the same.”

“Hehe, Amanda must’ve been really annoyed that that gave her away of all things.” Akko chuckled as she looked at the green light emitting from the sorcerer’s stone. A wistful sigh left her lips before it shakes to a shiver, the gale blowing a strong tune behind them. Diana quickly came to their aid, conjuring a thick blanket big enough for both of them. Akko took the invitation with open arms, snuggling close to her side as Diana wraps the blanket tight around them. Diana wasn’t ready to go back yet, not until her original question was answered, she was about to ask again before Akko beaten her too it again. “Hey Diana, why did we run?”

“Did you want to get caught sneaking around their floor?” Diana asks instead, feeling the movements of Akko’s head shaking in disapproval. “I thought not, besides-” She cuts herself off, the sense of fear stopping her speech as she closes her mouth.

“Diana?” Akko asks, looking up at the hard look on Diana’s face.

“Ignore me Akko, it’s nothing,” Diana sighs, shaking her head, “It’s all in the past now.”

“Diana…” Akko said, holding her hand in a comforting way, “You can tell me if you want, I won’t tell anyone, I’m always going to be here for you.”

A comforting silence fluttered between them as Diana’s walls became crumbling down. “I feared what would happen to us if we were found by the wrong sort of people.” Diana sighed, silently appreciating the tight squeeze Akko gave.

“So that’s why you were there,” Akko murmured under her.

“Sorry?” Diana asked as catches Akko’s eyes, surprised at the stern look in her eyes.

“Diana, were you there so that you can find the culprits?”

“I-” Diana tried to deny but what excuse she had on her mind was gone when she saw the look in her eyes, automatically her shoulders deflated, her sigh becoming defeated as she finds it hard to look at Akko in the eyes.”May have...yes.”

“Diana…”

“I apologise but I couldn’t just do nothing Akko. I had to at least try on helping the teachers find who did it.” A flame, a fire that Diana wasn’t use to burnt inside her, it made her feel uneasy and sick as it raises hell inside her. “They didn’t deserve what happened to them and I know I could’ve done something to help if I knew they were in the slightest hint of trouble but instead I failed to be there for them which made this happen and-”

Her words froze as Akko embraced her tightly, taking whatever she was going to say once more. “Whatever happened to them wasn’t your fault. None of us knew that this would happen, nor did we know who we were dealing with. This is not your fault.”

Diana remains silent, trying to believe Akko’s reassurance but it was so hard to, not when she stares at her arms and the black words that brand her skin. The words that will forever haunt her. “But what if-”

“It’s not your fault Diana.” Akko cut her off again, hugging her tighter. Diana was astonished at the pure belief and assurance of her voice, her eyes fighting off whatever tears would fall down her face. “It would never be your fault. You’re not that kind of person to hurt her friends or anyone else. It would never be you… I truly believe in this.”

“Akko…” Whatever held back her tears now vanished, tears of comfort and joy rained down on Akko’s shoulder. “I apologise for the new stains on your shoulder,” she joked as she held Akko closer.

“It’s fine Diana, I-um…I’m sorry for following you today hehe,” Akko laughed nervously.  
“Wait you did what?”

“I got worried when the headmistress said you could get hurt so I followed you on your patrol in case some people were being rude to you but when you went to the upper floors I kinda lost you and yeah…good thing you found me huh?” Akko smiled sheepishly, ducking her head as giggles became to leave Diana’s lips.

“Akko,” Diana laughed, “You can be a complete dunce sometimes.”

Akko gave her a joking glare, sticking her tongue out as she too laughed. “So were you, sneaking around like that, I had to hold my laughter at sometimes at all the stupid things you did.”

The pinkish flames tickled Diana’s cheeks as she made a small pout, becoming very aware of all the stuff she did when she thought no one was looking. ”Shut up.”

Unfortunately for her Akko only laughed even more, fortunately for her even though she didn’t realise it when pouring her heart out to Akko, Diana didn’t feel a single pain from her scar.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N I’M BACK~ Most exams went well and I’m now on my summer holiday so I’m going to try and write as much as I can cause I got so many stuff planned after this story


	10. Chapter 9~ Thursday

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N I am SO SO SOOOO sorry that this took so long to write, like I don’t know why but it was so hard to write with writer’s block and I didn’t have much time on the main pc as well to write but hey it’s here now, I guess that’s the important bit huh? Also I just checked the word count, it’s around 7.5 k words so enjoy! Hopefully it was worth the wait

Diana knew that things would change the moment she became much closer with both the red team and the green team of their year. Both teams were quite chaotic but chaos wasn’t something she would always disapprove, chaos brings something to the table that either makes things be good or bad. In terms of Heart Week, they’ve been nothing but good, they kept her busy, distracted. It was something that helped her cope. To keep her mind from thinking of the things she doesn’t know, the enemy, the higher years, what would happen next.

However, just because she knew things would change, just because she accepted the chaos that they would bring. It doesn’t mean she would be prepared nor ready for what sudden thing she’ll get dragged into next. A good example of this was when she woke up in her bed, a bed that didn’t just contain her but another person as well. Someone whose long brown hair tickled her nose as Diana rest on her chest, soft snores that were the peaceful sounds of the morning birds. It took Diana a full minute to realise she wasn’t alone, another minute to realise Akko was sleeping next to her or in their situation, under her.

“Akko!” Diana shouted, moving back to the far end of the bed, her face on fire, her mind confused on how and why this ever happened. Akko, in turn, snapped awake at the sound of her name, she flustered about, screaming questions before she floundered off the bed with a distinct thud. “Akko?” Diana repeated as she leant closer just to see said person was alright. “What…” Her mind drifted a bit as her eyes found the faint touches of scars on her exposed legs and arms, they were small but plentiful, a forest of stories of what stupid things Akko did in her past. Diana shook away her thoughts as she cleared her throat, “What are you doing here?”

Akko stopped her grumbling of a hurting head as she looked up at Diana. Her jaw dropping, her eyes wide awake and so clear of awe that Diana could see herself in the reflection in her eyes. Her hair was a mess, loose strands flew defied gravity and stood upright, her curls were in small knots and it was only more visible against the scarlet skin of her face. “Akko!” Diana repeated again, furiously hiding her face now with the closet pillow to her.

Her name was again broke Akko’s gaze and awoke her brain cells as her own cheeks flared and from the nervous jitters of her speech, Diana knew Akko just realised what situation they were in. Akko opened her mouth to speak but a muffled chuckle broke it off first, one that was behind the bookshelves that kept Diana’s bed separate from the others. It was too early in the morning for Diana to recognise the laugh but Akko did from the looks of sudden anger, how her head whipped behind her, an annoyed shout in her voice. “AMANDA!”

From around the bend, Amanda in her uniform appeared, holding her sides as she let all her laughter out. “Amanda…” Diana seethed, clutching the pillow tightly in sudden rage.

“Morning love-” Amanda cleared her throat as her eyes fell to Akko, Diana doesn’t know glare she got from Akko but for a moment the joviality on her face was gone however it returned with her usual sly grin so quickly that if she wasn’t solely focusing on Amanda Diana would’ve missed it. “Morning losers,” she grinned, leaning against the bookshelves, “Or should I say good afternoon.”

Diana’s face paled instantly, it was as quick as Akko’s surprised shout and rummaging out of the blanket that fell with her. It didn’t help that Amanda was laughing still at the whole ordeal until Lotte too appeared around the bend with a disapproving slap across her arm. “Amanda!” She said sternly, also in her uniform. Lotte ignored Amanda’s mumbles under her breath as she turned to them with an apologetic smile. “It’s not afternoon you’re both fine, we’re just eating breakfast.”

“A-man-da,” Akko whined, getting out of her blanket web that she found herself trapped in. She stood up, walking with a bit of a sway. “Don’t scare me like that.” Amanda snickered, holding her still so that Akko can balance herself, Diana sighs with relief as she too gets out of her bed.

“So I’m guessing you both have fun last night eh,” Amanda laughed more, ignoring the annoyed slaps from Lotte on her shoulder as she brings Akko away to the living room, leaving both Amanda and Diana in Diana’s section. From around the bend, Diana can hear a sudden increase volume of voices, laughing and cheering.

Diana locks eyes with Amanda with an early look of confusion, as far as she was concerned they haven’t even told the others of last night’s chase. They both agreed to talk about it when everyone was here, including Hannah and Barbara. “What on earth are you talking about?”

Amanda laughs again, crossing her arms with a sly smirk. “Well y'know two girls sleeping in one bed, all alone in one room, one’s head a mess the other can’t walk straight, doesn’t take much to figure out you guys did a bit of Rumpy Pumpy last night eh Diana?”

“AMANDA O’NEIL!” Diana screamed, not wasting any more time to stride across, taking a pillow with her, her cheeks blazing with both anger and embarrassment. It didn’t help that only she knew the meaning of the term, both being fluent in the slang of the British. “HOW DARE YOU-” She cut her own words off with grunts of anger as she hit Amanda with a pillow continuously. She just couldn’t believe it! The nerve of that girl to even suggest them doing such actions, she doesn’t even know why Akko was in her bed.

Amanda didn’t care too busy falling to the floor, bombarded with Diana’s attacks. In fact, she was cackling with laughter. In the end, Diana was only stopped when Akko returned with everyone else following her and pulled her away. “Diana are you okay?” Akko asked, restraining Diana from doing, even more, damage to the redhead, even then Akko was struggling as Diana kept trying to go against her embrace. “Diana!” Her words of concern were deaf to Diana, she breathes heavy and angry, blue eyes only focusing on Amanda. “Amanda I think you broke her!”

“Amanda is a bit broken too,” Sucy commented as she nudged Amanda’s now wheezing body. “I’m surprised she managed to keep it up for this long.” Constanze and Jasminka looked at each other before they looked sternly down at Stanbot, in his little hands was a chalkboard “ROUND 1 with two boxing gloves underneath it” before he hid it behind his back under their gaze.

“It’s  just…” Amanda sighed, somehow finding enough sanity to calm herself but that sanity doesn’t last long as she looks back at Diana. “Her face!” Amanda screamed again, falling back to a round of laughter.

“I will end you, O’Neil!” Diana yelled which only enforced another horrible cackle from Amanda.

“Diana please calm down, Amanda is just being an idiot,” Akko begged, holding Diana’s shoulders. Near them, Amanda was still laughing like a hyena, Diana growled at her, her eyes violent as a blue inferno. “You’re not helping Amanda!” Akko yelled, ignoring the grin on Amanda’s face.

Fury snapped back into Diana as she tried to move but Akko’s grip on her was too strong. “Akko please.” She said, looking deep into her eyes, “I need to teach this ruffian a lesson.”

“Diana, you’re better than this, don’t stoop to her level.” Akko reasoned, her grip loosening on Diana as she pulled her to a sudden hug. “I don’t understand what she said but it’s nothing to fight about.” In her embrace, Diana’s anger slowly fades, her movements become weary until-

“I love how you didn’t deny my claim Diana” Amanda snickered, hands on her side, her Cheshire grin smothered on her face. “How-”

Diana ran.

She ran, rampaged across her room in a frightening speed that Akko couldn’t stop. “Finish that sentence O’Neil,” Diana said, voice void of emotion, of control. The look on her was face murder as she stole a throw pillow from the sofa. “I dare you.”

Amanda grinned, also too void of care, “How did you like breakfast in bed?”

Diana’s cheeks burned crimson, screeching as she lunged the pillow at her. She pounced at Amanda, forcing them both to the ground and for once Amanda looked like she regretted her actions, only holding her back as she grips on her wrist, her sheer strength and willpower being the only deterrent of a scuffle.

“Diana!”  
“Amanda!”

Both teams ran to the scuffle on the floor, voices laced with worry and concern. They began to tug and pull away from the two girls apart who were locked in this stalemate of willpower and upper strength.

“Diana!” Akko yelled.  
“Amanda!” Jasminka said as well, in union with Akko.

“We’re back!” Hannah and Barbara said as well, the door opening, their hands with interlinked, their eyes were tired however the smiles on their faces distracted them from noticing. They looked at the scene, confusion in their eyes.

“Did we miss something?” Hannah asked as they went in and closed the door behind them.

Everyone froze and looked at them, too shocked for words. Diana was about to speak, her anger sapped away at the sight of her teammates, however, the local potion making bested her to it.

“Apparently Diana and Akko did a bit of Rumpy- Pumpy in Diana’s bed.”

“We did not!” Diana defended instantly, a flurry of red clashed Diana’s cheeks once again as both girls stared at her, jaw slack and cheeks tinted pink. Under her, Amanda snorted at the scene, using her now free hands muffle the laugh.

“Of course,” Hannah said, blinking the surprise away in her eyes. “We both know you’re mature enough not to do that sort of thing at this age.”

“Furthermore, from what we can tell you’re both fully clothes so the statement is a false claim.” Barbara included as well, slight laughter in her voice, “However, I can say it’s funny how you got riled up from this Diana, did you change that much when we were gone?”  

Diana’s anger was sapped away as she stared at them, their presence finally hitting her. They were safe, they’re back together again. A relieved smile was forming on her face, tears starting to prick at the corners of her eyes. “Hannah,” she cried with happiness, the girl held her head higher upon hearing her name. Diana moved away, climbing away from the mess that she made out of anger. She walked over, gaze switching between the two of them as she got closer. “Barbara,” she smiled through tears as she looks at her other teammate. With no hesitation, Diana was enveloped in bigs hugs causing her to back once more this time with laughter. “I’m glad you’re both back.”

Hannah and Barbara looked at each other, before turning back to Diana with a watery grin to match Diana as they hold her tighter.“We’re glad to be back too.”

“So… hate to break to the reunion,” Akko asked after a few moments passed, she looked at them bashfully as all eyes turned to her, Diana noted how she looked everywhere but her as her cheeks tint pink,  “But how did I get to Diana’s bed?”

“Oh we put ya there,” Amanda sighed with a grin as she helped herself up, brushing off all the dust on her clothes, oblivious to the sudden devil stares from Diana. “You were out like a light when we came to your room and since we didn’t want to leave alone Jas and I carried ya here and put you in the only bed that was free.”

“You mean occupied?” Sucy butted in with a snicker.

Amanda glared at her before dismissing her with a wave of her hand, “Yeah sure whatever, we didn’t want to ruin the other beds cause then we would have to fix it so we made you guys sleep next to each other, also-”

“Amanda O’Neil.” Diana hissed, closing her eyes and only focusing on the bone crushing hugs her friends are currently giving her as a way to calm down. “You have 1 minute to leave before I personally hunt you down.” She opened her eyes when she made the threat, deep ocean abyss drowning Amanda’s confidence as her face paled.

She gulped down whatever sliver of confidence she managed to save as she scratched the back of her neck, “Well you heard her Cons, Jas let’s bounce.” She said before she ran out of the room, Constanze looked at them with a nod before walking ahead, Jasminka smiling at them and with an apology leaving her lips before she too departs as Akko and the others snickered at what happened.

“So,” Hannah laughed as she helped herself up, then Barbara then Diana. She crossed her arms, leaning into Barbara slightly as she looked around at her, her eyes catching the broken glass in the window. The mood slowly losing its merry tune as Diana follows her gaze, her heart jumping to her throat as it becomes clear on what they need to do next.

“What,” Barbara said though it was dazed as her eyes were lost in thought, a troubled look of confusion on her face. “What did we miss?”

**/-/**

“And that’s what we know currently on what’s behind this whole situation,” Diana concluded, she was in her uniform and they were in an empty classroom given to Akko for her supplementary magic lessons. Since this area was only known to the teachers and Akko, it was the best place to talk about such sensitive matters without any walls leaking, not to mention Professor Ursula was here with them, though outside of the room, to further their protection with complex spells against eavesdropping.

She told them everything Holbrooke told her and more.

She told them of how the girls involved are already in trouble, how they are barred from the Heart Week Holiday, how the main people moving against them are the higher ups, how she tried to find answers but failed. She told them everything. Everything but the fact that behind the desk her knees are shaking. That she is terrified. Even after last night and her talk with Akko. That she has no clue on what to do and that the dark thoughts that she is to blame, that her black words written on her arm caused this are chaining her to this inner turmoil behind a cool facade.

Diana looks at all of them, her face hiding most of the subtle wincing at the negative complexations that most of them wore. Jasminka was frowning, her eyebrows furrowed as motherly concern was expressed on her face, Constanze was confused yet vigilant, looking around subtly to check if any person was overhearing. Amanda wore held back anger, a tight lip curl of a snarl on her lips as her knuckles clenched white, her eyes not reaching Diana’s.

Hannah and Barbara looked like they weren’t healed at all, Diana could see how their hands clench much more, how close they sat together, the slight lack of colour to their cheeks. Diana looks away to Akko’s team, ignoring the inaudible whispers Barbara and how Hannah holds their hands tighter before wrapping her arm protectively around the girl.

Sucy held no emotion but Diana knows she was unease as well with the whole ordeal since she was constantly assuring Lotte that everything would be fine in a much more smaller voice. She didn’t look at Akko, she would know her true emotions with one look, she always had and Diana won’t be surprised if she always will.

“Any questions?” Diana speaks clearly to shake away the fear in her voice.

“Yeah I got one Cavendish,” Amanda said as she looks her way for once and Diana can see the visible anger in her eyes. “What the hell were you thinking with going solo?”

“Amanda…” Jasminka said, holding her arm to calm her down.

“Not this time Jas,” Amanda says as she shakes it off, she stands from her chair, jumping over her own desk, ignoring everyone else shout her name in disapproval before she slams both her hands on the teacher’s desk to silence them. Amanda leans forward, her face dangerously close to Diana. “I want to hear an answer.”

“She wasn’t alone.” Akko’s voice said from the side, a comforting smile on her face as her eyes catch Diana’s. “I was there making sure she’ll be safe.”

“Well then,” Amanda said, turning around to face her, leaning on the desk, arms crossed, voice dripping with obvious sarcasm. “She’s in safe hands, a girl who can’t fly against a bunch of near professionals, she’ll be fine.”

“She will be!” Akko shouted, standing from her chair to emphasise it.

“She isn’t now though is she!?” Amanda countered just as quickly, stepping forward to Akko with an indescribable expression.

Diana wanted to step in and give her own opinion, particularly since it was about her safety but the look of Amanda’s face forced her to stop. Diana has seen many things from Amanda O’Neil. She saw her be at her best, at her most arrogant, angriest, happiest, saddest, rebellious. She seen her smile and not give a damn about other people whens she showed her words, she saw her with hidden cries in her room, the annoyed look of obvious but denying concern near the memorial, the cheeky smirk when she wants to mess around.

But never has Diana seen Amanda be so broken.  

“Diana isn’t safe!” Amanda shouts, her voice full of raw emotions that it leaves her lips quivering as she stops in the centre of the room. “Right now, she’s being hunted by people that we can’t face, people we can’t protect her from even if we worked together!” Now her eyes are tearful, they cover her cheeks entirely as they rush out like river rapids, her fingers quivering in the tightened fist she held them in.

“And…” Her head ducks into her chest as her back hunched together, her hands closing in as well, cowering to her heart as her body shakes. Unknowing to Diana her hands did the same as if they were ready to catch the shattered falling pieces of her heart from the words that left Amanda’s lips.

“It’s all my fault.”

“Amanda it’s not-” Akko retaliated, slamming her hands on the desk as Jasminka and Constanze were already running to their teammate.

Amanda’s head snapped back up at Akko, her face morphed to a chaotic mess of anger, desperation and regret, a lot and a lot of regrets. “It is Akko and doesn’t even try to fight me on this!” She screamed before she outstretched her hand to her teammates causing them to stop. “That includes you two as well y’know!”

“How?” Diana buts in before she could close her mouth. It was an impulse, a sudden reaction created from the amount of chaos in her system and the sure belief that it would never be Amanda’s fault because it’s hers. “Explain to us how it is your fault since none of us can see it.”

“You all know,” Amanda laughs bitterly as she looks at her arm. “Everyone in this the damn school knows.”

There was a sombre stillness in the air, it reeked of old scars and bitter blood leaking from reopened wounds. Everyone was quiet, lost in thought. Everyone was transported back in time to that day where Amanda recklessly showed her words, how it created mayhem across the whole student body.

“See, no one can even deny it…” she laughs one more time before it collapses to another broken sob, a bittersweet smile still permanent on her face. “This is all my damn fault because I’m stupid enough to show my stupid words and I’m so sorry that I brought you guys inside this mess as well.” She looks up, specifically at Diana with a shattered smile before she falls to the ground in front of her, head touching the ground. “I’m so sorry Diana for hurting you the most.”

The words “I’m sorry” repeat again and again like a begging mantra for pardon, the cycle doesn’t end even when Akko climbs over and pulls her up, even when Jasminka steals her away to hold her close and reassurance that she didn’t cause this at all. One by one, everyone huddles around the green team, to give support, to give hugs, reassurances that Amanda didn’t cause this because of her actions before. Diana didn’t consider blaming herself at this time, she pushed those thoughts away, suppressed them because Amanda needs her full attention and care.

“It’s not your fault Amanda if I had to blame someone it would be the girl who hit me” Diana whispers to her as she wipes away the remaining tears. “And if you still believe that it’s your fault then I forgive you, I forgive you for everything, we’re friends after all.”  Her words ended with a hint of a laughter as Amanda too showed a smile, a genuine one.

“No offence Cavendish but that’s a lot of bullshit.” Amanda laughed, it was tired and weak but it had that partially annoying Cheshire tone that Diana hears whenever Amanda was going to do something to rile her up.

“How…so?” Diana asked cautiously as she looked at Amanda with a confused expression.

“Would you forgive me for suggesting you and Akko had sex in the morning?” She asked with a snicker and, though small and frail, her Cheshire grin along with a waggle of her brows.

“Ahh….well I guess so, especially since we all know that never happened” Diana agreed, ignoring the urge to hit her and the flare of heat on her cheeks.

“Wait, so that’s what Rumpy Pumpy meant!?” Akko asked with a slack jaw and crimson cheeks. Amanda laughed hard as Akko failed to look at Diana’s eyes and for once Diana decided to suck in the embarrassment as she tried to answer Akko’s various stammering questions.  Laughter, after all, was one of the best natural forms of healing.

**/-/**

“You’re healed.” The nurse said with a smile as she looks at the new set of results, ignoring Diana’s confused expression as she looked at her scar on her abdomen. “Congratulations, this is one of the quickest recovery I’ve seen yet, especially with such a powerful spell to counter, I’m truly surprised and impressed.”

“If I’m being honest, I’m surprised as well.” Diana admitted as she looks at her scar, “I’m not trying to offend you nor question your reliability Nurse but are you sure that I’m fully healed?”

“Oh don’t worry Miss Cavendish,” She said with a laugh, “I’m not offended at all, it’s quite often where people ask us if we’re fully certain about their current status but yes I fully believe that you are 100% healed.” The nurse turns to the door, a soft smile on her face before she turns to Diana. “Though I understand why and how the bonds of soulmates is a catalyst for healing.”

In an instant, Diana’s face flushes a bright red as she looks away from the nurse’s laughter and to the floor. They both know who she’s talking about, they both know who is behind the door waiting patiently for her. “I don’t know how you think that Nurse but I assure you Akko and I aren’t soulmates.” It would break Diana’s heart truly if that was the case, she doesn’t want to live in a world without her. The more she thought on the subject the more Diana’s heart aches in pain and despite her wounds fully healed it feels like it never did at the thought of Akko dying because of her and her words.

Her thoughts broke free from its dark worries as the soft texture of cloth tickles her cheeks. She looks up startled to see the Nurse dabbing away the tears with her handkerchief that Diana didn’t know she had. “Miss Cavendish, please don’t cry I’m sure it would worry Miss Kagari on the other side and who knows what she would do if she found out,” She hands her the piece of cloth and backs away a bit, a smile on her face. “She’s quite protective of you in her own ways, that’s why I assumed the bond of soulmates between you as she’s quite fond of you.”

Diana smiles as she wipes away the lingering tears, her mind replaying to how she fought 5 or is it 10? People when she was hit, how she made her homemade chocolate to help her pain and calm her down, how she followed her to make sure she was safe. “Judging from the big smile on your face, you’re quite fond of her too.” The nurse smiled warmly as she stood in front of her, papers that proved she was fully healed in her hand.”Are you sure you’re not soulmates or at least girlfriends?”

Diana looked away from her, cheeks tinted pink as she looked away with a nervous laughter tickling her throat. “I assure we aren’t soulmates or looking for a relationship at the present moment.”

The Nurse laughed at her as she walked to the door, Diana following her as she tries to let the colour on her cheek to die down. “Whatever you say, Miss Cavendish,” she chuckles as her hand holds the handle, checking on Diana to make sure she was ready to leave. “I would say I’ll see you soon but that would imply you’ll be injured again and I’m sure you don’t want that at all,” she says as she opens the door once Diana was fully composed once again. “Please stay safe Miss Cavendish and be sure to thank Miss Kagari for her subconscious help.”

Diana smiles at her, a small but genuine smile as she bows at her, “Thank you for helping me recover from this in the first place, I gladly appreciate it.”

“No need for such manner Miss Cavendish, this is merely my job, after all, now go off to find Miss Kagari, the girl would want to know how you’re feeling.” The nurse waved it off before she looks up in front of them. “Miss Kagari, we’re ready.” Diana stands up from her bow as she looks around her, the girl who accompanied her nowhere to be seen in this part of the infirmary. “How peculiar,” the nurse mused as she walks the corridor to the main waiting area where there was a small buzz of noise. “She would usually be jumping on us for answers.”

Diana follows her, her brows slightly pushed together in confusion before it shoots up in slight worry as the noise becomes distinct and Akko’s voice becomes a catalyst for them to get to the waiting area as she increased her walking at a faster pace. The only reason why they didn’t run because unless it’s an emergency you shouldn’t run in a medical area and Diana despite every fibre telling her to run, needs to follow the rules.

“Akko!” Diana called as they arrived at the scene. The scene being a formed huddle of people in the corner of the room, a squabble of noise that only grew louder at Diana’s words and a shouting contest between two people, one being Akko, the other was oddly familiar.

The Nurse extended her wand and by the time Diana blinked swirls of pale yellow swarmed the group and lifted them up off feet, breaking apart the circle with ease, sounds of surprise pulsed in the room as everyone levitated in the air. Diana may be healed but that didn’t stop the flashbacks puncture her brain and sanity as her eyes recognised the other person in front of her, levitating a couple of feet in the air.

It was the girl who hit her.

Like fireworks, questions exploded in the now growing dark canvas of her mind. Why was she here? Why was Akko with her? What were they talking about? The questions were coloured in the fearsome shades of murderous red and poison green, of rough ocean blue and the blinding light of white. Diana was a mix of wild negative emotions, of fear, anger, hatred and coldness. The girl left a scar on her head and on her body, no what her mind is going through isn’t a scar cause she still hasn’t healed fully from it. It’s a wound that’s trying to close but keeps opening again and again with the same old dark thoughts that haunt her like a shadow on a sunny day.

“Diana, would you agree with me?”

Diana blinked out of her thoughts, her face quickly trying to capture her composure or at least the poise that she was listening. “Yes,” she said with a clueless nod. Everyone looked at her well everyone except two, the girl who hit her was looking elsewhere and Akko was looking at the ground, face slightly shameful. The Nurse looked at her with a quick approving nod and a short lived smile as her face hardened once more turning to the two people responsible for this mess.

“You heard her, tonight detention, right here after dinner and consider yourself lucky I’m not punishing you, even more, create a mess elsewhere in the school but not in my infirmary.” Though it wasn’t directed at Diana, Diana still sub consciously gulped as if there was a dagger pointed at her throat. “Understand girls?” Everyone levitating and Diana herself nodded at her words, some more than others as the nurse. “Now everyone leaves but Akko and you can continue on a different day and away from my infirmary,” The Nurse ordered as she let everyone down and watched them leave peacefully under her Hawk like gaze.

Diana eyed Akko smiling nervously under her gaze. The only sounds between them were the dying echoes of the other students departing. “Akko,” She called once every other student left, her eyes glanced at the door implying them to leave as well when Akko finally looked up at her. “We’ll have a talk about this privately.” She explained as she passed the doorway, ignoring how everyone else looked at them.

They walked back to the dorms in silence, it wasn’t until they were in the dorm corridor themselves, alone in their privacy that Diana started to speak again. “I leave you alone for 30 minutes and you almost got into a fight.” Diana sighed, crossing her arms as her head dips, her eyes closed as she tries to not to think of her would be opponent. Her eyes open as her head rises up to fully look at Akko in the eyes. “What exactly were you thinking?”

“I wanted to know more about the girl Diana!” Akko exclaimed without any hint of shame or regret. “People thought we were going to fight hence the big circle even though I didn’t want to fight, I just wanted to talk to her!”

Diana’s composure would’ve broke if she wasn’t so shocked by the words in general. Even in her head, in every single corner of her mind, nothing could comprehend what Akko was saying. She… wanted to know the person who hit her…more? The same one who cursed her with a scar and horrible nightmares every night? The person who kept a mental wound be reopened again and again, that girl? Was she serious?

“I’m sorry?” Diana asked cold confusion in her voice as the grip on her crossed arms tightened. If Akko noticed the sudden drop in the atmosphere she didn’t comment on it or at least she would’ve realised that they were heading into an unknown territory.

“Yep, maybe if I know her more than maybe we can find out why she did it and maybe see why people are after you and maybe she knows them as well along with other things,” Akko said, her optimism for once annoying Diana because unlike the person in front of her, she knows too well that those things only existed in fairytales and in fairy tales that were catered to someone that wasn’t her words. In those childhood stories, black words were usually the villains.

“Akko, the girl already said all she knew to the Headmistress. I’m sure she has nothing more to say on the matter.” Diana sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose as she walked off to her own room to calm down. She would hate to get angry at Akko at all people, she knows deep down she’s trying to help in her own way. “Besides we already know her motives the moment they harassed the Green Team all those days ago.” She gave her a quick glance over the shoulder as she paused in her steps. “The girl is colour-phobic so you should drop the subject Akko, though I appreciate your help.”

“But-”

“I’ll be heading round on tonight’s patrol to check on you and the girl’s progress,” Diana said, turning her head forward as she continued to walk ahead again. “Do try not to cause a fight this time.” That should’ve been the end to some of her negative emotions, at least the unease from meeting the girl who hit her. Somehow though it lingered into a prickly tingle under her skin and just left Diana more worried for tonight’s patrol.

**/-/**

Diana followed the voices drifting in the corridors, the silent whispers that linger in the moon lit walls. The sounds of her footsteps become the steady soothing beat as she walks around, wand up and her eyes vigilant. She would never admit because it would bring more worry and stress to her friends but Diana is scared. In fact, she’s terrified of this patrol and she knows the real reason why.

That  _girl_  is out there, awake at the same time she is. It only came to her when she was reminded by a senior that there will be people doing overnight detention. She shouldn’t have this fear over her, she’s stronger than her, smarter than her and more powerful than her. This intense uncertainty was irrational but it’s there. Even though she’s fully healed now, Diana can remember the pain she went through.

Her steps quickened as the voices became louder, these people were the final people she needed to deal with then she can be in her own dorm safe and sound. After yesterday’s fiasco, the headmistress is only letting her patrol until midnight and whilst at first Diana disagreed with the idea, she’s grateful for the easy break if she was able to rest her head. The thought of it made her smile in the partially illuminated darkness. She paused in her steps as she saw distorted shadows of students on the wall next to her, her eyes honing in on the flickering light in the next turn. The smile grew more before it switched to her usual stern look as she approached the light.

At the first sight, Diana’s look broke to shock and lost. She just froze, partially hidden from the corner as her mind failed to comprehend what was happening.

Akko was there with the girl who hit her, cleaning equipment abandoned as they sat on the furniture, talking, laughing, sharing a chocolate bar that Diana recognised instantly. She heard a muted compliment from the girl but Diana wasn’t focused on that. She just stared at Akko. Her emotions a jumbled mess as she stares. She watched as Akko grinned sheepishly, hand scratching the back of her neck before they laughed again, Akko initiating a quick parting hug as she hopped off the furniture.

Diana walked backwards, her mind wanting to erase what she just saw, the harsh brutality of betrayal clawing at her heart. She doesn’t know what she was feeling all she knew it was like bleeding a heavy wound, it was the sting behind held back tears and it annoyed Diana even more that she doesn’t know what it was. She doesn’t know how to combat it if it was an unknown threat. Lost in her feelings, Diana didn’t look where she was heading and stumbled into trophy cabinet propped against the wall.

Diana only took a small step forward before her eyes locked with Akko’s. Diana searched for the answers lost in Akko’s surprised expression, why was she feeling this way? Why the person she cares most about was being friendly with the person she fears the most? Why does everything inside her hurts?

She didn’t find them. So she did the next best thing. She turned around and walked away from Akko. It wasn’t until she was on the opposite side of the corridor for Akko to notice that she was gone.

“Diana please, I can explain!” Akko called after her. She was running again, Diana can hear her footsteps steadily becoming louder and louder, if she keeps this up she’ll catch up to Diana. Diana doesn’t want that, for the first time ever since she knows the girl, Diana wants to be in the furthest place away from Akko so she does something she would never do. She breaks the rules and runs as well.

“Diana!” Akko calls again, her voice further away and it takes everything in Diana to not turn around and stop, to let her explain and be reasonable in the way everyone else sees her in the daylight. However, right now it’s midnight and in the hollow light of the moon, Diana becomes everything she shouldn’t be.

“It’s not her fault!”

Everything shatters.

The emotional turmoil that swirls in Diana’s head, the heavy pounding of her heart, the rapid rush that she was in to get away. Even her breathing is nought as she stands there, back facing Akko and in the opposite end of the empty corridor that they are in. The air is thick with something ugly and to Diana it reeks of a newly forming bad blood.

“Not. Her. Fault?” Diana said, her voice sharp, a blade forged from the fury bubbling under her skin, ready to tear apart Akko’s bold statement. Each word was pronounced like a direct attack and she can tell from Akko’s echoed gulp that it hit her. “I’m sorry but I think I misheard something Akko,” she apologised with a cold bitter laugh as she turns to her. “It might because I’m a bit busy trying to get through the horrid mess that is Heart Week or because I’m trying to figure out how to defend myself from what could happen to me, because of her.”

Her voice wasn’t raised, nor was it loud. She didn’t need it to be. “Tell me something then,” Diana dared, turning to her in a sudden speed, making sure that she knows full well her emotions about this whole fiasco. “Prove to me Akko. That this whole mess isn’t her fault.”

“She was forced into it!” Akko pounced straight away, with a pathetic reason that made Diana raise her brow as she crossed her arms. “That’s one reason.”

“Oh was she now?” If Akko didn’t notice the amount of sarcasm in her voice, then she was ignoring it or acting stupid. Diana was inclined to believe that right now she was both.

“Yeah, she was peer pressured into it,” Akko continued, not fully registering the tone Diana was using, a determined look on her face to try and prove Diana wrong. “She didn’t know that it was wrong and she regrets it.”

“Does she now?” Diana laughed, this was pure stupidity. Why was she having this conversation with Akko? No, the better question is, why is she listening to her and not her? She was the one hurt after all. “Then I’m sure the internal pain from the pure hatred intent from the blast wasn’t hers and was some other person’s hatred.”

Akko was silent. Her mouth opened then closed, eyes suddenly bursting with a fire to continue until they dimmed as nothing but air left her mouth.

Using this silence, Diana continued to talk and attack Akko’s claim and ideals, unaware of how Akko’s reactions, how her hands clenched tight, how her head was dipped to hide her gritted teeth. “I don’t know what she told you to make you take her side but I’m telling you it’s not worth it, she may-”

“You’re being unreasonable.” Akko murmured but her words rang clear in the empty corridor.

Diana paused in her speech, her eyes blinking in surprise as she lowered her arms, befuddlement drawn across her entire face. “I’m sorry?”  

“I said you’re being unreasonable Diana!” Akko yelled, raising her head as she pointed her finger at Diana. “You’re not even attempting to look at her side!” She declared, her eyes burning with the protective fire that once Diana felt some warmth from when she knew it was for her sake. Now under that gaze, Diana was burning. Scorched into a black crisp as it sparked a small flame on the bridge that they were both on. “She was forced into it, I’m telling the truth!”

Fire was contagious. Therefore it’s no surprise that her words turned the small flame into an explosive inferno inside Diana. “So am I telling a lie then?” She challenged as her legs stormed to Akko. “Am I supposed to forgive her for what she did to me? Everything is fine now isn’t it?”

“I’m not saying those things,” Akko retaliated as she walked up to Diana. “Don’t put words in my mouth, Diana!” They met halfway, Diana towering above Akko slightly thanks to her height. Blue eyes bore into brownish red and they stayed there, silent words translated into conversation between the eyes. “I’m just asking you to look at her side of the story.” Akko finally said, voice more sullen and softer, her eyes no angry but replaced with a pleading beg of a puppy. “Not everything is black and white y’know.”

The word black broke Diana’s emotions slightly, her arm shaking as she looks away, briefly glancing at the hidden words on her skin. “Actions speak louder than words Akko, her motives, pressured or not won’t ever justify what she did to me.” She stated as she turned away, her mind suddenly trying to gain control again, a sick dull feeling corrupted her stomach, a disgusting feeling but Diana couldn’t shake it away. “And from what I can see you’re more likely to believe your new friend than me, so I’ll take my leave now.”

“Diana…” Akko said as she watched her friend walk away from her.

“Call me unreasonable if you want but I’m not going waste my time on learning something I already know,” Diana called as she reached the spot where she originally stopped. She turned her head slightly to look at Akko, the unsettling feeling in her stomach growing even more and more. “Goodbye Akko.”


	11. Chapter 10~ Friday part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N I truly truly apologise for not updating in ages. August was a kinda difficult/busy month for me and irl stuff got in the way. Hopefully updates will be a bit better as I will get my own pc soon. I do truly thank you readers for waiting this long and I fully appreciate your patience. This chapter is kinda short because the original chapter length was getting ridiculously long again and had I feel too many thing happening at one go so I broke things up a bit. Anyways I hope you like this chapter! Enjoy

 She's back there again, in the darkest spot in her mind, the palace of hollow white, numbers and letters scribbled on the walls and Diana stands there, tight lipped and eyes burning death to the person in front of her. It was herself, the reflection of porcelain skin, of hollow black eyes and pale sickly dead hair, black smoke, and fog curling at its feet. It was the person she fears and hates, the person who haunts her every day, the one she chains away. "What did you do to Akko?" She snarls and it laughs back sickly and poisonous childish laughter.

"I did nothing," it grins and the sight sends chills to Diana's spine as her eyes closed and she tries not to believe it despite how true it is. "You would know if I did something." Her hand lifts and points to the wall, like the separation of a sea the words clear away and people, are projected on the clear canvas. Diana looks to the side, her heart aching as the familiar faces tear her cold expression apart to agony and regret. "I mean," it giggles as the faces fill the entire screen, Hannah's face, Barbara's face and Amanda's face flicker from colour to grey scale, happy faces glitching to their faces of suffering. "You always knew when I was amplified."

"Why are you doing this?" Diana asks, her face turned away from the screen as black words cover the faces and consume them all. "Why do you intend to hurt other people? My friends!?" She needs to know, even though she will never understand. Her heart was heavy and her legs are trembling from the weight it carries, she had an inkling that she did this to her friends but now she knows it's the truth. She curses her existence. "Tell me!" She yells, head snapping to the monster inside her, bitter tears running down her cheeks as she stares at it.

There's a silence, one that Diana has no time for as the reflection tilts her head confused. "Isn't that a question you should ask yourself, Diana?"

Diana steps back, eyes blinking back from the response she didn't expect. What did it mean? It... the black words are the cause of all of this... right? "I'm sorry?" she asked as things around her started to dissipate in a rush.

It looked at her, colour returning to appearance, a reflected image of Diana as a bittersweet smile curled on its face. "I'm only a-" Diana doesn't hear the rest, her eyes opening to the worried faces of Hannah and Barbara, a breath of light relief shared between them.

**/-/**

 "Diana!" Barbara calls, reaching out to hug her before Hannah pulls her back.

"Barbara wait! We need to give her some space." Barbara looks at Hannah before nodding, moving back to give her space before moves the light of her wand to the lamp on Diana's bed stand.

"Hannah? Barbara?" Diana said before stopping, the sound of her voice broken and cracking wakes her up more quickly than any other alarm would. She sits up, clearing her throat as she opens her arms wide, she knows they need her hugs for assurance that she was fine after whatever they saw. Hannah and Barbara didn't hesitate to wrap their arms around her, hugging her tight to the point where Diana struggles to breathe. "Girls…" she repeats again with a strangled voice causing them to pull out from the hug.

"Sorry Diana," Hannah apologised, "We were really worried about you, especially what happened last night." Diana nodded her head in understanding, she remembers clearly what happened when she said goodbye to Akko in that hallway. She remembers the cold expression she bore, how in the mirror she looked as broken as her emotions swirling inside her. How to her surprise, both Hannah and Barbara stayed up for her and how she ignored them despite their calls of concerns.

Guilt swarmed inside her as Diana bows her head to both of them. "I'm sorry about my actions last night, it was very rude of me to ignore you like that when you were trying to help." She hates making them worry, it should be her worrying about them not the other way round, she's supposed to be dependable after all.

"No it's okay Diana, we understand that you just needed to be alone," Barbara interjected as she held her hand. She took a gulp as she casts a glance to Hannah for support before she looks back at Diana. "The big question is, are you okay Diana? Especially after last night and what just happened."

Diana lifted her head in a panic, what did she do? Did she reveal anything like the colour of her words, did she mention anything about Akko and how she hurt her in her sleep, how she saw the person who hit her? What did she do?"What did I do that caused you two to wake me?" She internally winces at the panic in her voice, so much for trying not to worry them again.

"Diana…," Barbara said, squeezing her hands gently in reassurance as she looks to Hannah for help.

"You were crying Diana," Hannah finished as Diana stared at them, her face frozen with shock. "You were crying really badly and you kept stirring in your sleep, you looked like you were having a really bad nightmare Diana so we had to wake you up."

There was a somber silence as Diana looked at her nightgown as she took in this information. "I see…" she breathes, she could even see the faint tear lines that stain her dress, the wrinkles that tell stories of harsh movement, she can feel the cold air that nips at her cheek due to the tears that cover it. She was a mess, everything about her was a mess.

"Do you," Barbara whispers before she clears her throat, snapping Diana out of her thoughts. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Her mind is in a spiralling chaos, they're so many things she should say, so many things she needs to let out but she can't speak a single one of them. The nightmare she faced was just the reality of the life she lived, she could hurt people right now with her words amplified, she already hurt them! If they found out about her words, the colour of her words they might hate her forever and she can't lose them. She can't tell them about Akko as well, whatever bridge that connected them before would cease to exist and whilst Diana is angry at Akko she doesn't want things to go back to the past before everything happened. It just can't, the past was cruel and lonely and-

"Diana!" Hannah shouted as she shook Diana literally out of her reverie. Diana looked at them, the pure worry in their eyes as Hannah lets go of her hands on her shoulders to let her speak. Diana opens her mouth, then closes it no longer trusting her voice to not waver and falter in front of them. She then closes her head in partially shame and regret as she shakes her head prompting Hannah to say her name once more time.

"Diana! Please," Hannah begged as she leans closer to her. "Please tell us, we know something is bothering you, we've known for years something is wrong but we've always waited for you to tell us but after everything that happened this week it's hurting you more than ever."

"Hannah, Barbara I assure you-"

"We know you collapsed after we got attacked," Barbara said cutting her off as she looked at her with concerned and determined eyes. Whatever Diana was about to say was gone there and then, Barbara wasn't usually someone to cut her off, most of the time it was Hannah who did it.

"We know how over the years you become more distant and how estranged your family became to you, we know how you stay silent every time something bad happens to any of us, how you apologise for everything when it's not your fault. Don't just think we are blind to your problems just because you think we are. We've always been looking and being worried but we always stupidly thought everything will be fine over time and because we know you're a strong person but now we know that being strong is never enough because everyone has a breaking point! So please tell us what's wrong so that we can support you when it's so hard to be strong Diana!"

Diana could only stare with wide eyes at Barbara, the quiet, slightly passive girl she known for so many years shouts and scream at her at god knows what hour in the day. She hurls every single emotion she wants Diana to hear, her eyes and brows scrunched up and furrowed with such passion and care as they open with with a fiery gaze and heavy breaths from fatigue. Diana sends a glance to Hannah who was right next to her, not surprised to see the smile of pride and hazel eyes of adoration be on her face before she takes Barbara by her hand and hugs her, a kiss on a cheek and a whisper in her ear of what Diana assumes praise among other possible things.

Hannah turns to her, letting Barbara rest on her shoulder, her arms wrapped around the body for protection. "Diana something is wrong and we understand you don't want to tell us but I assure you, we assure you, nothing will change between us no matter how big or controversial this topic is," she assured with a smile and caring voice that makes Diana want to believe in her but she doesn't. She isn't ready, they aren't ready for what this sudden plot twist to their life: The prestigious Diana Cavendish has the words of a monster.

"I saw the person who hit me," Diana confided in a small mumble. She knows that they know this isn't the full thing, the full problem… Yet it's one that she is willing to share because she knows that they won't stop pestering and worrying her if she doesn't say anything. She looks at her stomach where the scar resides as she pulls her knees to her chest, she just hopes they don't take this the wrong way straight away. "I saw her being with Akko and talking with her about something and… and Akko took her side."

Her head snapped up as Hannah jumped off the bed followed by Barbara who got her wand back. "Girls wait!" Diana called as she clambered off her bed as well and to the door. She grasps them with the back of her arms and pulls them in as they step out of the door before firmly shutting it. "Let me finish," she sighs as she barricades the door with her body. She knew this would happen which is why she would prefer not to tell them but it seemed like luck, as always, was not on her side.

"She hurt you, Diana!" Hannah accused as she stared at her long time friend as Diana turned on the light. Barbara looked at Hannah and at Diana before her eyes find solace on a nightfall book scattered about and her mind falls into deep thought.

"She did no such thing," Diana lied as she turned away from them to lock the door, it would be easy for them to tell she was lying if she faced them. She is angry with Akko. She is infuriated with her. She was hurt by her in so many levels but she knows what happens when Hannah is angry and wants to act revenge, she is aware of what she can be like and no matter how angry she is at Akko, she doesn't deserve what ever Hannah is going to give her.

"We saw how you acted last night Diana, you don't act like that if nothing was bruised." Diana bit the insides of her cheeks before she relaxed and turned to them, back leaning against the door.

"This is something I can deal with, however," Diana assured as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "What we don't need now is some argument between us and the other teams, especially when people are getting hurt for whatever reason. We need to be peaceful with each other."

"Diana," Hannah repeated again. "She hurt you, emotion goes over logic in this. I trusted that she wouldn't hurt you but here we are."

"Hannah," Diana begins, staring at Hannah dead in her eyes. "I can deal with this. I've been hurt before by far worst things, compared to those things. Akko is trivial." Those things were of her own fault but they don't need to know that. She stepped forward, each word pronounced is equivalent to her closing the distance to Hannah. "Compared to them Akko is trivial."

"A trivial thing is still something!"

"Guys!" Barbara stepped in between them, her hands pushing them away from each other. "Please stop fighting." Both Hannah and Diana backed away, surprise mirrored each other's faces as Barbara looked at both of them.

"Diana," she started, "Hannah is right that something needs to be done so that Akko knows that she was in the wrong for not even considering your feelings and hurting you." Diana was about to open her mouth to argue but Barbara's eyes narrowed in a fierce aggression. "Even if it doesn't matter that much, you were hurt, no matter how big or small it was, you were still hurt."

Barbara takes a deep breath before her head turns to the left and to Hannah. The fierce look in her eyes soften and melts as she smiled gently at her soulmate. "Hannah, please try not to worry too much, it's not like Akko to do something like that without a reason and if she did do it for a stupid reason then you can get angry. I know you're concerned but Diana knows what she is doing."

Barbara takes a step back from them, her calm attitude mellowed the atmosphere in the room as Hannah and Diana looked at her then at each other, a sight of guilt and shame on both of their faces. "We've been tense and a lot of bad stuff has happened to us and it's getting to our heads, we need to calm down a bit before we say anything else that's stupid."

The silence returns again, a strange drift between tension and relaxation, of awkwardness and calmness. The strange mix of differing intensities was like friction between the dark clouds in the sky and depending on what happened next, the clouds that the blue team is in will either be a storm of violent lightning and rain or just simple turbulence that will be easily forgotten.

Hazel eyes still are locked with crystalline blue with teal eyes switching between the two when Diana sighs, dropping her rigid stance as her eyes closed. Barbara was right, things have been hard on them, on all of them and it's corrupting the bond between them, even more, when they are nearing the end of Heart's week. When people start to become more desperate when Diana's words are going to hit her the hardest. She needed to prepare for when the weekend hits and she can't do that with a bad night or a lack of sleep.

When her eyes open, Hannah looks at her, one hand outstretched, the other firmly intertwined with Barbara's. "I'm going to tell Akko what happened to you when you came back to the dorm, what she did to hurt you. I won't do anything else, everything else is up to you." Diana nods in understanding, she appreciates how much Hannah is holding back from hurting Akko. She can see it with the slight quiver of her lips, the way her hand tightens a bit more against Barbara's when her eyes flash with a protective anger Diana seen before in the past. Diana could only assume that behind those flashes of anger, the image of her broken burns and rises from the flames.

"I appreciate that Hannah," Diana said before she takes the hand and pulls her in for a hug. "And I thank you so much for caring about me." She isn't usually the one to initiate hugs, mainly because she was never taught how but she needs to show that she understands why Hannah is so angry for if they were in opposite shoes, Diana isn't quite sure if she would be convinced to hold back.

After the seconds of surprise, Hannah sinks into her Diana's embrace, snuggling even more to the hug when Diana can feel an extra body against her back. Diana smiles as Hannah and Barbara hug her once more, a tight long embrace that relaxes them all from the little argument between them. "I don't know what time it is but it's best that we try to get some sleep if we can."

The lovers nod their head as they hug Diana one last time before departing off to their beds and Diana finds slight comfort that they both moved to the same bed. It was a soothing thought that her friends found comfort and love through each other and that they will have each other to get through the dark times. She closes the light of the room and heads off to her own separate chambers, ignoring how her mind taunts her that she may never find that sort of comfort. That the only comfort her words will give is the hollow chills of a hug from dead or a living corpse.

It wasn't a pleasant thought but then again, it was better than thinking of long brown hair and a smile that burnt her way through her mind. Maybe because from that image she doesn't know if the fire burning in her along with the chills on her arms came from anger or something else entirely.

**/-/**

"What do you think?" Barbara asked as she stepped out of the changing room, adorning this beautiful silver grey empire dress with a blue tint and a row gleaming gems on the collar of her dress. She walks to the mirrors that hang on the wall, admiring her dress with a small twirl before she catches the eyes of her teammates behind her.

"You look amazing Barbara!" Hannah smiles, her eyes wide with awe and admiration and the way Barbara blushes from her lover's gaze makes Diana's smile curl to a short chuckle as Hannah fawns more over Barbara as Barbara twirls her new dress around. After the late at night or early morning talk that set them arguing it was an easy decision to have a group day out, to relax and have fun like before.

Hannah and Barbara decided that Diana has been cooped up in Luna Nova for too long and that it would ruin her mood, even more when Diana's calm posture became rigid when she heard Akko's voice ahead of them, she only had a breath of time before Hannah marched over to them. Diana could only hear a fraction of what she was saying by the time Barbara took her arm and walked away to a different route.

This leads them to be in a clothing shop an hour later, with a bag or two already on their feet. Hannah was already wearing a dress, a yellow sun dress with amber patterns of flames curling on the edges and standing next to Barbara as she gushed and rambled on about how good she looked. In fact, to Diana they're outfits reminded her of a solar eclipse or at least the sun and moon respectively. It was a pleasant sight.

This outing was something they both deserved after everything…. she did to them. Even though it wasn't much of a surprise since she already had an inkling that it was her fault, she was still grief stricken with the fact she caused them to be injured or at least guided them to this point one way or another. These two were her best friends and they don't deserve being hurt.

"Diana, come here," Barbara laughed as Hannah moved behind Diana, the sounds of hangers be pushed aside along a clothing rack screeched behind her. "You need to wear something too!" she laughed as she dragged Diana was still trying to understand what was happening, the duo caught her off guard once again when she was lost in her all thoughts. When Barbara pushed her into a new changing room she finally understood what was happening.

She was about to open her mouth to retaliate on why she doesn't need to wear a dress, but Hannah beat her to it, shoving a dress to her hands with a smile. "No buts Diana Cavendish, you're going to have some fun too." Against both of their happy faces and determined eyes, Diana could only sigh and give them a glimpse of a small smile before closing the curtain and trying the dress.

The dress wasn't too bad. It was a white flowy dress that reached above her knees. Her shoulders were covered with swirls and small flowers of gold laces that matched the design on the edges of the dress. It was a simple but beautiful design and it seemed that both Hannah and Barbara agreed when she finally stepped out of the room. A gasp of admiration filling up the room as she looked at them with a smile, a real genuine and happy smile.

"You have good taste Hannah," Diana noted as she looked at the mirror as she hears a squeak of happiness behind her.

"Great," Hannah beamed as she looked at Barbara who smiled just as happily. "Diana when you're ready, let's go buy them."

Diana stopped admiring herself in the mirror and turned to face them, "Why are we buying them? I thought this was just a simple dress up?"

"For the party of course! Amanda is having it to be a casual costume theme party where you wear something that was inspired from your original idea. For example, Barbara and I are going as the sun and the moon or as a solar eclipse!" Hannah explained.

Diana looks at them, her eyes in confusion for she doesn't know what to say to them. It seems with the past things that have happened recently she seemed to forget all about the party. "Hannah, Barbara…" she said with a small frown, she didn't know how to break the truth that she doesn't intend to join them, especially if Akko was there. "I don't fully intend to join the party later on today."

Their reactions were nothing less to what Diana expected, both Hannah and Barbara gasped in surprise and automatically Diana found her hand being held by someone. "Why not Diana?" Barbara asked, "This is a time for us to relax, a time for you to relax." Diana looked away from Barbara's eyes, she didn't want to see their hurt eyes anymore, not when she knows she caused it for not joining into the festivities. "At least tell us why you can't join us, is it because of Akko cause it is-"

"It's not about Akko I promise," Diana interjected, turning her head to Barbara. In reality, it kinda was about Akko, she didn't know how to feel around her anymore, she was angry with her but some part of her found this emotion illogical. In fact from a bystander point of view, she found all of her to be an illogical mess. A part of her hated Akko, another part wanted to forgive her, another part was nervous or scared at the prospects of meeting her yet another part of her longed for her and wanted to be with her. Whatever overall emotion this was, it was an ugly mess and it confused Diana so much.

"I can't do it because I got a prefect duty later on and I can't leave it." Diana lied, she tried to get a role today but the headmistress stopped her early on in the week. "Besides parties are not my thing, you both know that very well."

"Oh screw the nightly routes, you've been working so hard Diana and you need a break." Hannah said, "I'm going to go talk to Holbrook about this if they are so adamant on having your work whilst everyone is at the party."

Diana's eyes widened as she shook her head. "Oh no you don't really need to that," She assured, if she confronted the headmistress then she might possibly go to the party in her orders.

"If you aren't coming to Diana because of that reason then I have to do it," Hannah argued making Diana sigh under her breath.

"Think about it this way Diana, you'll be safer at the party then you would be alone," Barbara reasoned the moment Diana opened her mouth to reason with the two of them. "Faeries will be there, a few teachers as well and even then there would be several students who Amanda trusts who can keep an eye out for anyone suspicious," Barbara continued as she counted the reasons with her fingers. "If you were attacked help would come quickly and even if you didn't you would have a fun time!"

"Please Diana, just think about this."

Diana didn't answer, her eyes didn't meet her teammates. Instead her eyes, her mind focused on the mirror, she focused on her eyes, how the colours of blue look so broken and lost. How her face, the neutral expression she bore was just barely holding it together. She hates to admit but they're right, she was needed a break. She needed time to get away from everything, to relax and fully compose herself. Ever since she came back from her cousin's wedding that seemed ages ago, she never had a proper break. So many things happened and all so quickly that the days seemed long and the nights were so short.

Still, there was a raging voice in her to tell her not to go despite everything she realised this very second and Diana still wanted to trust that voice. She knows that voice too well, in fact, when she was younger she feared that voice. Actually, it wasn't even a voice. It was just this hollow chill like death was floating through her, it was the racing of her heart and it was running for all the bad reasons. It was everything she ever feared, rolled into one emotion.

But despite the feelings, Diana took a deep breath and nodded once. She turned to Hannah and Barbara with a small smile, "Alright, I'll come to the party." Screams of joy erupted from Hannah and Barbara but Diana made no attention to them, she was too busy trying to ignore the roars of mockery and the threats coursing in her head that she will regret going to the party.


	12. Chapter 11~Friday part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N Thanks for waiting and if I don't have people screaming at me I will considered my job as an angst writer a failure, that being said… Enjoy~

When Diana entered the courtyard around 8 at night, she was surprised to the dramatic changes that spread across the area, there were streamers of multi-coloured flags, of hearts of all colours that are in words. There are banners of colour gradients, of red fading to blue, of green fading to red. All colours were inclusive in the design and there were even a few streams of black that swirl around the tables. Diana looked away from those colour immediately, she didn't truly know how to feel about that.

There was music dancing in the background, a nice simple electronic beat that came from the hidden speakers. Diana's eyes followed the sound of cheering and to her small surprise there was a small crowd in front of a raised platform that held a DJ table and the one behind it all was a small stan bot wearing a helmet that pixelated expressions. There were several round tables with chairs, a few people were sitting there already just chatting, furthermore to the side, far from the dance floor was a long buffet table full of different food and drinks.

"They really outdid themselves didn't they," Barbara mused next to Diana, her mouth wide open in awe. Diana nodded in agreement as she saw several students she recognised dressed in themed clothes, Wangari, for example, was wearing a cream striped sweater and a white scarf, Diana assumed that she was in the costume of a mummy.

Hannah's teal eyes gleamed with happiness as she scanned the crowds, the smile grew more as she waved her hands up in the open and lead them deeper into the party. "Jasminka!" Hannah called out as she leads them to Jasminka who was eating at a table. She has dressed a long dress that resembled a pirate. She wore a small red hat with a bronze standout head in the middle, her sleeves were puffed up with small white frills with red inside near the cuffs. Her dress was long and loose, full of mix-matched patterns and colours that ended with the same frills of her cuffs at the end of the dress.

"Oh hello Hannah," she smiled as she stood up, "Barbara, Diana." She said each name with a respective nod, her smile growing bigger each time. "I'm so glad you guys came." Before Diana and the others were ready, Jasminka engulfed them in one big group hug. Diana stood still upon contact, all her years of socialising did not prepare her for sudden hugs. Fortunately for her, the hug lasted only a few seconds as Jasminka's other teammates appeared at her sides.

"Well I can't believe it," Amanda chuckled as Jasminka let go of the blue team. "Cavendish is playing hooky," she smirked, folding her arms with amusement. She too was in a pirate's look, with a white long-sleeved puffy shirt, black trousers with black boots decorated with gold trim. Also hanging by Amanda's side was a scabbard with the hilt of a sword protruding from it, whether the weapon was genuine or not Diana couldn't tell and quite frankly didn't want to know.

"I am not as you call it O'Neil, 'playing hooky', I was allowed to leave at a moment's notice for it was demanded by several people that I required a break so Hannah and Barbara have persuaded me to join your festivities," Diana explained, ignoring the small curl she feels on her lips. "You three really outdid yourselves though, I'm very impressed with what you did in a short manner of time."

"Yeah whatever princess," Amanda laughed before she gave Diana a look over, "Or whatever your costume is. Anyways thanks, though it's mainly Constanze who got the stuff together especially with her army of Stanbots so if you see anything cool she probably did it." At the mention of Constanze's name, Amanda looked to her side where Constanze was working on her tablet, dressed as well in a pirate outfit however it was more modern. It was fitted with all sorts of small objects that Diana couldn't recognise but before she had a chance to ask Amanda drew her attention away.

"Yo Akko, glad you can make it buddy!"

Diana's head never turned so fast. Her eyes scanned the sea of students, looking for the person responsible for the storm that torments her system, her head, her heart, her logic, her senses and emotions. She still doesn't understand how she feels about Akko, everything concerning her is just ammunition for the civil war that rages inside her. She knew Akko was a storm, a walking disaster. Did she expect her to affect her internally instead of externally? No, she never did but that's always a thing that Akko does. She always surprised people, she always found a way to surprise her.

Even now, Akko surprised her when Diana found her in the crowds. She surprised her enough that Diana didn't know how to react to it, she was just speechless. Akko wore this beautiful red crimson dress that curled over each other like waves at the end, under the folds Diana saw hints of yellow and orange, of gold and bronze, it looked like this sea of fire. She also wore this black leather jacket with a skull with devil horns patch stitched over one side of the jacket. Diana could deny it all she wants, she could hide it all under the chaotic veil of anger and hatred but she knows that Akko looked absolutely beautiful.

Still, she won't show it. In fact, Diana's face is neutral as she calmly glanced at Akko and then Sucy and Lotte who were also in themes. From black dress that seemed to cloak over Sucy and the dark belladonna shades in the inside of her sleeves, Diana assumed she was going to the theme of a generic villain. Lotte, however, was wearing a dress with diagonal squiggly lines that resemble a sort of messy cursive handwriting. It was a simple design but the theme was there, the theme of fiction or a nightfall reference that Diana would never get.

Her eyes left Lotte's dress and for a reason, Diana couldn't quite understand, they drifted to Akko and caught her eye. The moment red eyes meet blue, the laughter and happiness in the space around them drifted and soon Diana became aware of the various pairs of eyes watching her eyes watch Akko's. "Diana," Akko said a few seconds later, her voice shaky and nervous.

"Akko," Diana said calmly, folding her arms in front of her as she looks at Akko. Though her face is neutral, she knows that her eyes are not, they only share a small hint of negative emotion but it's enough for Akko to know that the events of yesterday weren't forgotten, at least Diana hopes that the message got to the girl.

"You… You look really nice in that dress!" Akko complimented with a shy, nervous smile. The small fraction of Diana's lips curls up as she gives Akko a quick look over and nods her head as a response.

"Likewise to you Akko," Diana replied before she turned around to Amanda who quickly fought off the confused look on her face. "Amanda, do you know where a table is free? I wouldn't mind resting for a bit." Amanda nodded and quickly leads her away, Hannah and Barbara quickly say their goodbyes before they follow Diana.

/-/

The table was in a decent area, it was in the middle of the area but it had a clear way between the tables and to various places in the party like the food, the dance floor and other sudden places of socialising. The only downside is that the music from the speakers and from the partying crowd was a bit loud but it was bearable for most of the time. Diana was simply sitting down, watched the party, a few empty cups were near her from where a Stanbot waiter served her. Hannah and Barbara were interrogated by Avery and her teammates who congratulated them on being soulmates before they left the two lovers to have some quality time to themselves and was dancing in a small corner of the dance floor.

The green team were quite busy as well, checking over a few things and making sure stuff like the speakers were working and were not being used too much, the food was replenished quickly if a serving was nearly empty. The red team, at least Sucy and Lotte were not in Diana's range, Akko however, was loitering near the buffet table, her eyes staring at the various foods as she starts to fill her plate numerous times. Sometimes Jasminka would sneak away and join her and then they would talk and share opinions.

"So Angel, how are you finding the party?" Amanda said behind her before Diana heard a muffle scrap of a chair be pulled near her. Diana stopped staring at the party and turned to her side where Amanda was sitting, she was sitting the wrong way round on the chair, her arms leaning on the back with a Cheshire grin spread across her face.

"I'm glad to see you got the costume correct, as for the party…" Diana commented before turning her head to the lively crowd in front of her before they followed the swift movement of red, weaving in between bodies and soon out of her sight. Whatever she was originally going to say died before they even reached her throat, her mind whirling on why Akko had to leave and all so suddenly. "It's a good party, the three of you organised it well in such a short amount of time too, therefore I'm very impressed with the high-quality entertainment you guys offered, however the volume-"

"Hey princess, when I wanted your opinion," Amanda interrupted with a sigh, one hand pinching the bridge of her nose. "I wanted a simple yeah it's alright or I don't really know Amanda because I was too busy looking at Akko all night," Diana made an inhuman noise that Amanda didn't realise a person could make but she didn't even pay attention to it as she continued her comment. "Not a freaking verbal essay about planning and organisations."

"I have not been looking at Akko Amanda," Diana growled, ignoring the slightly higher pitch in her tone. "Her dress is merely something that stands out and is very visible in one's eye, it's a common fact that red is a colour that catches many people's eyes."

"Oh don't give me that bs Cavendish, you've been glancing at her all night, like you just watched her leave a few minutes ago!" Amanda retaliated, removing her hand from the bridge to glare at her. Diana looked around, surprised that Amanda shouted at her. However, it surprised her even more, when no one paid any attention but it does make some sense, the loud music was a good cover for their conversation and she guessed that included the shouting.

Diana hesitated for an excuse, to be quite frank she doesn't have a specific reason as to why she looking at Akko, most of her reasons were once again a garbled mess. "I was trying to figure out what kind of costume she's wearing," she said, hoping it was enough to satisfy Amanda. It wasn't an exact lie for Diana didn't even know what her theme was, was it a flame? Fire? Or something else entirely?

"That's a pathetic excuse and you know it, Diana." Amanda retorted without a beat and a scoff, "Everyone knows that she's dressed as a demon like she had devil horns on her skull patch for crying out loud and besides you could've gone up to her and asked instead of just eye stalking her." Amanda's careless posture changed as she got up and sat down on her seat properly, her eyes resonating confusion and silent questions Diana didn't know the answers to. "So why didn't you go talk to her?"'

"That's not even a real phrase, the eye stalking one," Diana muttered as she looked away from Amanda's interrogating eyes. She didn't want to answer the question, even if the answer would sound simple, it really wasn't, at least to her. Maybe she's over complicating things for herself but Diana knows things aren't so simple.

"That's not even a good attempt to change the topic y'know," Amanda commented and Diana sighed in frustration, she was about to speak, telling Amanda to leave her alone but she beat her to it. "Look I'm sorry if I'm being an ass and not letting you 'eye stalk' the party in peace but I don't know what the hell happened between the two of you and quite frankly it's annoying the hell out of me because this was also a party for both of you so answer the bloody question, Cavendish."

Diana knew she can't hide it any longer, the reason why she and Akko are in a disagreement and avoiding each other but something else tugs in her mind and for some reason she found it to be more important. "This party was for me and Akko?" Diana asked, her voice light from surprise, her heart touched when Amanda's determined expression faltered with an embarrassed and awkward action. Diana was actually surprised that she actually heard her with all the noise that just seems to increase. "I thought it happened because the headmistress felt bad for the whole cafeteria thing."

"Well…" Amanda looked away from Diana and rubbed the back of her neck. "I mean I guess, but like… it was kinda like an um… it was kinda like a thank you party for sticking up for me?" Amanda winced at her voice changing pitch before she lowered her arms. "Especially when before you and me, were not like… y'know, on good terms before," she mumbled, her voice was so quiet that Diana could barely hear her.

"Anyways," Amanda said as she took a quick breath to try and get her original point together. that doesn't matter, what matters is that you and Akko aren't talking and-" Amanda was cut off as Diana for once took the initiative and hugged her, "This is a surprise."

Diana wondered if the way Amanda froze first before settling into her hug was what hugging her was like except her standing still would be over a longer period of time. "I truly am touched that you set this party up in honour of me and Akko, I really really am," she smiled as she gave Amanda a small squeeze.

Amanda softened up to the hug before her mind snapped back and a fierce expression is back on her face. "Okay enough being softies, it's time to face the real truth." She said as she moved out of Diana's hug. "Why the hell are you two not talking and just looking at each other when the other isn't paying attention?" Amanda asked, no longer letting anything else change the needed discussion between them.

Unfortunately, she mentioned something that made Diana's mind spin in slight surprise. "Akko looks at me!?" Diana shrieked before she covered her mouth in surprise, eyes darting around to see if anyone heard her but the loud music and cheering seemed to cover up her scream.

"Oh for Jennifer's sake-" Amanda sighed, raising her arms up in exasperation. "That's not really important but, yes she does-" Amanda exhales a heavy breath of hair as she runs one hand through her hair, looking away as she muttered things Diana can't hear as her mind is once again in a chaotic storm of jumbled thoughts and feelings and from the noise.

"She looks at you like a sad puppy, looking all real hurt and then you look at her with some weird sad expression and it's really confusing me!" Amanda shouted above the noise as it increased more, she looked at Diana. "So do you mind keeping in the loop and telling me what happened between you?"

Diana sighed as she settled into her seat. "Me and Akko…" She started, her eyes glancing at Amanda who sat straighter, trying to concentrate though she was having a hard time too as the music grew louder. "We got into a big fight yesterday."

"WHAT!?" Amanda shouted to Diana's surprise, she winced as she curled back against the chair and away from Amanda.

Diana was about to open her mouth to talk back but she closed it as the music and cheering spiked and became louder. If she's going to discuss this then, she wants to do it in a more comfortable area. "Do you think we can go somewhere else!?" She asked loudly, hoping Amanda could hear her from all the noise.

Somehow, to Diana's relief, Amanda heard and nodded her head with a smile. She got off her chair and nudged her head in the direction beyond the dancing crowd. "We need to get through the dance floor and then we will be in a more quieter place to talk," Amanda said as she started to walk to the crowd, Diana following suit.

The music beats a louder drum as they get closer though, by the time they are on the dance floor, the volume suddenly switches into a moderate club volume. Diana didn't have enough time to stop and investigate the strangeness of it all for she was already losing Amanda in the crowd. She squirmed her way through the bodies, the beat of the music dances on her tongue, leaving a strange taste instead of the usual feels good vibe.

"My apologies," she muttered to various members of the student body that attended as she tried to keep Amanda's vibrant orange hair in her line of sight. "Amanda please wait," She called out once they were back in the outskirts of the jumping crowd, Diana just weaving through the final set of those partying.

"A part of me is surprised that you struggled to get out of the dance floor," Amanda commented as she stopped and turned to face Diana, the well-known smirk on her face.

Diana was taking small breaths, in hopes her head won't spin so much as her eyes glared at Amanda. "I'm not one to go to these sorts of parties you know Amanda,"

"Yeah I'm aware princess, your parties are ball gowns and fancy talks. Where the best action of you rocking out the classical stuff is a nod of the head or the subtle silent tap of the feet."

"There is a dance floor too you know," Diana defended with a slight narrowing of the eyes. "It's just not as jammed pack as the one we just went through."

"Of course Cavendish, plenty of space for people to move doing the waltz and still step on the other person's toes." Diana rolled her eyes at that comment which made Amanda laugh even harder. "Come on angel, we can talk in an empty classroom we used as storage for all the speakers and stanbots about what's up with you and Akko." Once again, Amanda lead the way, her walks often shifting to a slow jog yet Diana still caught up to it. Once again, the volume shifted as they left the designated party area, it became quieter, a simple muffled tone even though it was only just a couple of feet away. Maybe if Diana wasn't so focused on Amanda she would've seen a stanbot hiding behind some decor holding a tablet that changed the volumes of speakers that were scattered in the party.

/-/

"Ah this is the place," Amanda said with a smile, hands on her hips as she looks at this closed door. Hanging on the door was a small chalkboard that had the words Storage room written in chalk. Amanda glanced behind her were Diana looked on at the door then around her to see if anyone was near them. "Come on Angel tell me what's happening inside here," Amanda said with a chuckle as her fingers were wrapped around the handle. "Ladies first."

The door opened with an obscure creak as Amanda opened it wide. Diana peered in, confusion expressed with the furrowed of her brows as she stepped closer to the open door. "Amanda…why can't I see much-" Whatever Diana was about to say was halted with the sudden force on her back pushing inside the room.

"Amanda!" Diana shouted as she stumbled inside but by the time she turned around, ready to storm out of the room, she became blinded with the blast of the lights that surrounded her vision. Instinctually, Diana raised her arms to cover her eyes until the slam of the door forced them to snap open. With no hesitation, Diana stormed over and tried the handle, shaking it with anger and force, only to pause when it failed to give way. "Amanda!" She repeated again as she banged the door. "Why did you lock the door!?"

"Same reason why Akko is there with you, you two idiots gotta fix this stupid fight!" Amanda shouted back, voice muffled with the door in between them. "And I won't let you out until you two talk!"

When Amanda mentioned Akko's name, Diana's heart did a flip at the sudden turn of events. All of her anger paused at the quick realisation that she wasn't the only one here. Before the stampede of truth hit Diana with a brick. "You knew!?" Diana accused, anger and fury rushing through her blood like a tsunami as she rattled the door handle again. "You tricked me into coming here didn't you?"

"Of course I bloody did Diana!" Amanda answered in an instant. "How else am I supposed to get you out of your bloody seat, or did you want to talk about this in public with everyone watching?"

"I can't believe this!" Diana said, outraged that she was tricked into a situation she didn't want to be in. A growl left her lips as she looked down and she realised she didn't have her wand on her. This was not how she wanted to spend the night, how stupid was she to fall for a simple trick.

"You really hate me then don't you?" Akko called from behind her. The sound of her broken, quiet voice shattered Diana's anger on the door and this entire situation as she breathes in and out before she turns to Akko, her arms crossed as she looked at her. Akko sat on the desk in the empty classroom, her legs lightly kicking against the wood. The large windows were filled with the cold white glow of the moon's light and shadowed Akko whose eyes were fixated on the floor, hands clasped together on her lap. It was a sight Diana never saw before but it would forever be fixated in her head, no matter how much she wished to erase it. Despite being so angry at Akko, she can't bear to see her be this sad.

"No, I don't think I can ever hate you but I'm angry Akko and I just don't want to be with you right now," She said stiffly as she tried to calm herself down. She understands that they need to talk, they need to work past any possible misunderstandings so that what happened before won't happen again but she doesn't want to talk now. She should've trusted her instincts when it screamed that coming to this party was a mistake.

"Is it because of last night isn't it?" Akko asked this time her eyes turned her direction before she flinched it back to stare at the floor when she met Diana's eyes. In that brief connection, Diana could tell that she already knew the answer to that.

"Diana," Akko said before taking a deep breath. "I'm sorry for yesterday. I was panicking and I said the wrong things and then things happened quickly and then the next thing I knew you was that you left me there." She was rambling excuses, reasons that Diana doesn't want to really believe, especially Akko didn't have the courage to turn to her and say it to her face. Diana took a breath of cold air before she walked to Akko. Her steps were loud and obvious, the echoes that surrounded them were chilling. This was her signal to Akko that she doesn't want to hear it anymore but like how she was feeling last night, it was all ignored.

Diana paused in front of her, hoping that was would be enough for Akko to stop talking and rambling on about things that she already knew. "Akko," She said to try and catch her attention, once again she was talking to air. Diana took another sigh as she leaned her arm forward, her fingers sliding under her Akko's chin as she tilted it up to her gaze. She didn't ignore the way Akko's skin froze and how her body went rigid upon contact. She couldn't ignore how her eyes were quivering, how the edges were lined with the shimmer of tears.

The room is tense with silence and even if she won't show it, the silence is slowly suffocating Diana. She was not ready for this and the distraught expression on Akko looked wrong even when it was her own fault, to begin with.

She knew Akko messed up, Akko knows that too so she isn't interested in those things, those reasons. Something new plagued her head when she saw her like that. A thought she never even considered until now as she looks at Akko. Slowly, she moves her hand away from under Akko's chin and even at a slower pace, she steps back from Akko until she is at the edge of the raised platform, their eyes still in contact with the other.

Diana takes a sharp intake, her arms crossing over her chest as Akko glances at her, red eyes wavering as it anticipated Diana's voice. "Tell me Akko, give me one reason and only one… why did you go to the girl in the first place?"

Her voice was softer and more fragile than she first intended it to be like it grew tired of everything that happened and to some extent, she was tired. To what though remains unseen, for Diana was tired of many things. Right now, Diana guessed she's tired of the strange silence between them, it was familiar and in a bad way. It was the silence before they became friends, before they learnt to respect each other. The silence was the silence of when they first met, a bitter misunderstanding. Lost in her thoughts Diana couldn't hear what Akko said and only just caught the final mumbles on her lips.

"Can you say that again Akko?"

"I grew desperate!" Akko shouted at her, her eyes trying so hard to hold in the tears that were quickly coming out. Her hands were at her sides, her fists clenched tight. Diana could only stare, mouth opened at what is in front of her. Out of all the reasons why… Diana never thought this.

"I grew desperate Diana," she repeated as she took several breaths. " I wanted you to be happy, I wanted this entire thing to end. I wanted those higher years to stop chasing you and hurting you and I couldn't just stand still and do nothing when my cr-" she pauses there, taking a deep breath, her eyes shut, missing the way Diana's eyebrows raised at the cutoff word.

"When you!" Akko shouts again as she opens her eyes, the red irises were bleeding with tears and sorrow. Akko jumped down and pried her hands from the cross on her chest and held them there tightly. "When you Diana was being hurt. I can see how much this terrifies you and when I don't see it, I feel it! With the way you walk and talk and even stand! You look like you're always on the edge and it sucked because I couldn't do anything!"

"But then I saw the girl and I thought to myself… maybe she might know something…? Maybe she might give us some information, maybe she can tell me why she was colour-phobic, why she was so angry and hateful to shoot a spell with immense force at you," her voice grew heavier, tired and distraught. Her words were being pronounced slowly, her voice getting choked up with her tears getting clogged in her throat.

"Then afterwards… she told me how her friends, her teammates didn't like those words and she didn't want to lose them as friends so she started to agree with them and when people higher up told her she was right. She believed that her new beliefs were right and she hated you because you were wrong in her eyes when she thought you would be on her side… she was tricked and peer pressured into believing the wrong things and then she was left alone when her friends abandoned her afterwards." There was a hollow laugh in her voice, a sound that irked Diana's skin, she didn't like that laugh. "But of course Diana, I already told you that last night."

There was silence again. This time it was dull and heavy, it was the baggage that was piling up around them, it was the aftermath of a battle, of the fight that happened. Diana's eyes were still focused on Akko's, even when the light in her eyes were shining from the distance, like a lighthouse in the conscious fog of thoughts and memories. She doesn't know how to think about this, about Akko's desperation that pushed her to talk to the girl, of how Akko implied that she has been looking at her and noticing everything that happened to her, even when she thought she hid it so carefully.

"That night…," Akko began again as she slowly withdrew her hands from Diana's. "I told her, I showed her that it was wrong… and I showed her that…people who are different are good people. I actually… talked about Amanda and the green team, sucy and Lotte and…" Akko paused one more time as her eyes focused on Diana and Diana could clearly see the honesty in her eyes. "I told her… I told her about the good and right things about you and then, she started to believe me."

Diana wanted to speak, to voice whatever chaos that seemed right in her mind but that was all cut off with a sharp shake of Akko's head and another heart aching withdrawal from Akko as she stepped back and turned away from Diana. Something in Diana's heart cracked as the heavy inhale of breath echoed in the room, the way Akko's shoulders shuddered as her iconic small ponytail sinks as Akko lowered her head.

"But it's not like any of that matters, she hurt you… and I hurt you when I said it wasn't her fault and I… and I'm so sorry about that Diana." Akko wept with another heavy shudder from her shoulders and another crack attacked Diana's heart. "I'm sorry I called you unreasonable because I couldn't see how you were feeling and I understand…"

Her voice wavered there, the broken syllables of a hoarse voice fell silent. When she spoke again, it was if someone got a mallet and broke Diana's heart into pieces with sharp edges that bleed her hands when she tried to pick it up.

"I understand if you don't want to be my friend after this."

Diana didn't hesitate. She ran over to Akko within a breath's time and hugged her. She wrapped her arms around Akko's torso, buried her face into Akko's hair and she pulled Akko's body closer to her. She heard Akko's soft gasp as her body went rigid from surprise and for a split second Diana wondered if she should pull away but instead, she pulled closer and hugged her tight.

Her experiences with giving hugs are limited and she doesn't know if she is helping Akko calm down or if she is helping at all. But Diana recalls every hug she ever got from Akko. She remembers the peace, the serenity, the sincerity but most importantly the comfort it brought. She recalls the soft touch in her heart, the way she could just sink in her embrace, how time slows and how the fast anxious shaking of Diana's heart slowed to a steady relaxed pulse. Diana only wonders if what she is doing is enough to make Akko feel those same sensations that she felt when Akko hugged her.

"After everything we've been through Akko…" Diana whispered, her lips just brushing Akko's ear, "I would be an idiot to just stop being friends with you after one fight…. I forgive you."

Her words seem to do the trick as Akko slumped in her arms, the stiff fright was eased away as Akko's long exhale fluttered through the room. "I'm glad…" Akko admitted, "I didn't want to lose you as a friend as well."

Like the sudden start of an engine, something in Diana's heart roared back to life and it created storms of thunder and lightning in its wake. There was a buzz in the air, hints and flickers of a feeling that Diana could just barely recognise. All she knew was that it was akin to the turn of a book, the fresh smell of ink on a parchment. Maybe it was relief? Or perhaps… something else entirely?

"But still I-"

Diana silenced her with another squeeze of her arms around her waist and a shift of her head as she pulled away from Akko's ear and returned it to its original position. "Wanted nothing but happiness for me and so you sought a different viewpoint." She murmured with a slight hum of her voice, trying to ignore how soft Akko's hair on her cheeks. "Yes you made a mistake in expressing your findings but you realised it and apologised."

Once more in the night, the duo found themselves in a silence. However, this was not like the others, this time secrets were in the air. Unspoken confessions whispered around them but neither of the girls was disturbed with it. They were content with the silence, it allowed them to piece emotions into verbal words, it allowed to calm down in each other's arms.

Diana particularly was content on this. It was a breath of air she didn't know she longed for, the sense of familiarity and comfort that came when you re-read a book after so long. In this moment of peace, she thinks back to her actions, the burning hatred, the angry venom in her tone. To her surprise, it didn't fade entirely, even when she forgave Akko. Diana's eyebrows furrowed in confusion as she thinks back harder to the night.

It was until she saw the sudden image of Akko and that girl, everything clicked. Especially how Diana unintentionally held Akko closer to her. She didn't want to admit it but it made a lot of sense. Diana was jealous. She didn't know what she was jealous, or envious of but the idea of Akko hanging out and bonding with the person who hurt made her insides squirm with unease and an irrational sense of anger. It didn't make any sense to Diana but it would explain the growing colour of her cheeks, either from embarrassment or past anger, she would hope it was the latter.

"I confess…" Diana said as she snapped her head out of the trance, her hands moving away from Akko's body as she hid them behind her. She dipped her head, a sign of dropping her guard, a way to show her sincerity in her apology. "That I as well might've acted wrongly last night thus I was harsh or harsher than expected."

"No you were perfectly valid in your thinking!" Akko replied as she turned around in an instant. The moonlight made the red on her cheeks illuminate in the darkness, it made the vibrant red irises shine as they held the familiar look of determination and stubbornness that Diana grown so used to. If Diana had the time, she would've stared at her and slowly found it adorable.

"That may be true but you always voiced out that I never considered her viewpoints…." Diana explained as she looked at Akko, ignoring the voice in her head that is screaming at her to mention that she was jealous more than anything else. "Along with other things," Diana sighed as she briefly pinched the bridge of her nose before looking to Akko once more, "So for that, I apologise for my mistakes."

"I forgive you," Akko smiled before giving Diana a hug, one that Diana eagerly returned. They stayed there for a while, the happiness reaching her eyes and giving her this soft glow that Diana couldn't and to her surprise, didn't want to look away from. She didn't want to look away from her and break this soft spell of calm and happiness that they are no longer fighting, that the ache and misery she had that came with fighting Akko was all gone.

However, the subdued numbness in her gut, the feverish beat of her heart didn't fade away. Instead, it only festered as she took in Akko's presence in front of her. The way that she was basked in the moonlight that made her look like an art piece that Diana that. Was Akko this beautiful before? Diana knew that Akko was pretty and in her own ways cute, but in this dress, with the moon showing off how angelic this person truly is…Diana didn't actually know the word to match her accurately.

"So… where does that leave us? Akko asked, snapping Diana out of her trance.

"I'm sorry?" Diana asked, eyes blinking owlishly before she found herself drawn back to those red eyes once more, painfully aware of the heat scorching her cheeks. Maybe it's because for so long the room was cold and all the heat that was there before just swarmed her, maybe it's because she is just getting used to the room temperature or maybe it's from the body heat that they share from the short distance between them.

Akko twiddled her thumbs as she looked up at Diana."I mean like are we friends still or…?" Diana doesn't know what to think. She was still so confused about Akko, about how she truly feels about her, how she sees her. In spite being known as one of the smartest people in her year, with Akko Diana is constantly left questioning and wondering. In fact, right now, the only thing Diana knows and fully certain of is the fast beat of her heart at the open question and that the gap between them is getting smaller and smaller. She didn't even know she was speaking until she heard the soft whispers of her own voice.

"Do what something other than being friends?"

The silence came once more, but Diana didn't care. Her eyes were on Akko's lips, watching as they part in soft surprised before they quivered as she tried to respond at the implication that was in the air.

"I…," Akko said before her voice grew quieter, her eyes slowly closing as she leaned closer. Diana leaned closer and-

She jumped away from Akko as the door slammed open.

"Akko we got a big problem!" Amanda shouted, slamming as well, all the doors that lead to something inside the locked classroom.

"Amanda!" Akko screamed back, her face scarlet red from what did happen and anger from what didn't happen. Amanda didn't bat an eye, her face was pale, the green in her eyes was shaking. She more concerned of what muffled sounds were happening outside than what she just interrupted as far as Diana could see.

"What happened-" Diana said before clearing her throat, some clarity was finally in her mind as she refused to look at Akko, her cheeks burnt red and there was an unsettling feeling in her stomach. Why did she even do that in the first place? There was no logical reason why she would try to… Her thoughts stopped there as she shook her head as she focused on whatever Amanda was saying.

"None of your concern Diana but both of you need to leave," Amanda said with a stern voice that didn't seem to fit Amanda's laid-back nature as she looked out at the door and then across to them, her eyes fixated at the windows.

"Amanda what's going on!?" Akko asked. Amanda didn't answer, at least not with words. There was poison in her eyes, the one that made Diana's stomach squirm as her eyes locked onto her and then to Akko with a flicker. It was a message only for Akko to understand and when Diana turned looked at her for once… The terror in Akko's eyes was nothing Diana has ever seen before and the room temperature dropped again, even after Akko looked at her with an inferno of intense emotions in her eyes.

"Diana we need to go."

"Akko, Amanda what is happening!?"

"I'll tell you later when you guys are gone but just go n-" Amanda said when the duo came down the stage in a hurried pace before she was cut off with an ominous echoed blast erupted from the open door.

Everyone paused in their steps. If the room was cold before, it was now chilling. Diana held in a breath as from the corner of her eye… she saw something change. Diana turned around and knocked all of the air out of her lungs. She staggered back, her eyes lost in fear at the windows, her mouth opened wide as her body trembled.

She just stood and stared at the glowing green light that flew across the window like lightning, except it wasn't the window that was affected, no it was something even worse. It was a wall, a magical wall of green energy that seemed to surround them like a dome. No wonder why Amanda wanted them to leave as soon as possible, with this sort of speed, it was now impossible for them to leave the area and with the whispered curse that came from Amanda, she knew it as well.

She knew exactly who was behind this, as if the power of the wall wasn't enough to show it. This wasn't something possible with one witch, at least not one who was also a student. This was the work of a group of students, students were smart and powerful in their own right. This was a spell to trap those inside, it was a spell to trap _her_ inside. She knew it and so did everyone else but that didn't stop the feverous build up of panic inside her, nor the quiver of her lips and she said it.

"The fourth years…."


	13. Chapter 12~ Fourth Years

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N- It's been basically a year since I last updated and for that, I apologise. Real life troubles and mental health got in the way among other things but don't worry I'm making it up by finishing this arc. More information shall be at the end of the chapter author's note since I prolonged this chapter long enough. Enjoy.

_She knew she shouldn't have come to the party, her instincts screamed that she shouldn't._

"Alright I locked the door but it's honestly best if we book it somehow."

_But she still came and looked what happened. This might not have happened if she didn't go._

"Amanda, how are we going to leave? I'm pretty sure they got people at every exit."

_She did this._

"Cons hides one of her exits in one of the classrooms in the corner where she sits."

_What is she suppose to do now?_

"Wait seriously?"

_They managed to trap the entire area with advanced shielding magic… It wouldn't surprise her if they made it so no one outside the dome could see or hear the chaos that was happening right now._

"Yeah, it's like- butt recognised or something? I don't really know, but a hidden button appears the moment she or someone she trusts seats on the chair. I know it works, used it a few times before to escape Finneran."

_She has no wand on her and-_

"Pffft," Akko giggled, "Butt recognised-"

"Akko I don't think this is the best time to laugh considering the type of situation we are in." Diana snapped, her face pale, beads of sweat sticking to her forehead. Her blue eyes, usually cool and collected were wide and frazzled. Her hands were shaking and the longer she stared at her reflection in Akko's eyes the more she realised that every part of her was shaking.

_This is all her fault._

"Diana…" Akko asked gently, concern all over her face. "Are you okay?"

Diana couldn't answer. Any attempted response suffocated in her throat either from the black words deep under her bones, the same one that strangled any logical thought of clarity or redemption, or the way her blood was replaced with black viscous tar laced with the heavy emotion of guilt that poisoned her every breath.

She stepped back instead, eyes down to the floor until the sudden collision of her back to the wall was enough to jerk most of her body awake and force it to exhale one long, terrified sigh. She moved one of her hands through her hair, threading the blond curls away from her face as she tried to breathe rationally again. To breathe in the way that doesn't hurt her lungs or imploded her brain with this sense of anxiety and pain.

Her mind was lost in the war zone of rationality. One side blamed herself, the other blamed the unfortunate fate of her words. And the punchline of this sick joke? Neither of them bordered the line of irrationality. Each reason used as ammunition to spiral herself in this whirlpool of self-hate made absolute sense. Amazing how the so-called 'best witch at Luna Nova' can protect herself from a spell aimed to destroy from a stranger but can only flounder when the person behind the spell is herself.

"Hey," Akko said, close enough that Diana felt her breath on her cheeks but quiet enough that Diana had to perk her ears up to listen. Her eyes blinked at the close proximity she was in with Akko, then once more at the cold chill nestled on the floor where she sat, then one last time at Akko's reassured squeeze of her hand. That's when the questions began. How did she get on the floor? What happened? Why was it getting so hard to breathe?

"Breathe with me Diana," Akko said slowly and softly before mimicking the actions. Diana followed, struggled at first but quickly managed to breathe without it hurting that much as enough time passed by. "Are you okay now?" Akko smiled, one so small but infectious that Diana couldn't help but give an equally small smile back.

"Better," Diana whispered as the smile on Akko's face widened as she started to help Diana up again, taking it slowly so that she doesn't hurt herself again.

"Yeah fuck it, we need to get you out of here Diana," Amanda said as she approached. She placed one hand on Diana's shoulder and when Diana looks up to her, the protective kindness shimmering her eyes is one that puts her off guard. It was strange knowing that only a few weeks ago, her thoughts of Amanda only consisted of her being a ruffian and a rebel. "I know you probably got a lot on your mind but we gotta get going now."

"Move?" Diana asked as Amanda removed her hand and made her way to the door.

"Amanda knows a way out to get a least one person out of this mess," Akko explained as her fingers curled tightly against Diana's giving it a soft squeeze. "And I think it's best you should go." Diana stopped moving as she stared at Akko to explain herself. "I don't want you to get hurt, Diana!"

"I'm already hurt thinking you want me to leave you and Amanda to deal with this alone." Diana rebutted as she snapped her head to look at Amanda. "I'm staying."

"Over my dead ass you're staying Diana," Amanda scoffed as she looked at her. "You get out, get some help, Akko and I can run circles around them or do some shit as a distraction."

The idea of leaving her friends behind to clear up her mistakes and her messes left Diana with an emptiness in her stomach before it was filled with acid, stinging her insides whilst boiling her blood in frustration. "You are gravely underestimating what these extremists would do once they find out you helped me." Her words were steel sharp, voice laced with anger, sadness and soft pleading desperation. "They will find out and they will hurt you."

"It's not like they are going to kill us. They won't be that bad." Diana doesn't ignore the quiver in Amanda's voice, the subtle hesitation that not even she believed her own words. Amanda must've noticed the accusatory, non-believing daggers Diana sent her way as she straightened her posture and tilted her head up to look more intimidating but all it screamed was the fact that she was scared but didn't want to admit it. "We will be fine, better when we know our close friend is away from the people wanting to hurt her."

"I am staying and that's final." Diana reaffirmed, ignoring at how Akko squeezed her hand to tell her to back down and reconsider. "I don't leave friends behind for a mess I'm involved in." It goes unspoken that this is a mess she delivered straight to their doorstep. It was likely that the fact she will clean up this mess despite coming out with more bruises or scars went unspoken as well.

"Fine." Amanda snapped, caving under the pressure Diana gave. She whipped around and tugged at her hair, a way to release all this anger and unwilling submission. "Fine, you stay but Akko goes."

Diana didn't bother to hide the smile at the suggestion. "Finally something I can agree on."

"Hey," Akko said as she let go of Diana's hand to clench her own hand into a fist as she glared at Diana. "Who said I agree with this?" She turned to Amanda, "I don't agree with this."

Amanda shrugged, "I want you two to go in all honesty but Cavendish wants to stay and you want her to be gone so I guess we can't have everything we want." She looked at Diana with a sad smile, Akko quickly followed her gaze wishing for an explanation from her.

Diana bit her lower lip, her mind struggling to find words and phrases that would explain her reasons on why she is doing this or words to tell her about the loud, vocal thoughts that scream in her head. The voices that told her things will be different, that things might not go as planned, the certainty that someone is going to get hurt and the irrational fear that it would be Akko who gets hurt instead of her.

Instead, she looked up at Amanda, voice a soft whisper, "Can I have a moment with Akko please Amanda?" Amanda blinked in surprise but nodded at the response, walking away to check at the door as Diana leads Akko further into the room, just to make sure Amanda won't overhear.

"Akko it's dangerous if you stay," Diana explained as she turned to look at her after checking that Amanda was out of earshot. Her voice was quick, desperate, even trembling slightly. "It's even more dangerous for you than me I believe."

"I don't understand..."

"You're the only one," Diana explained before she took a deep breath, clasped Akko's hands and stared into Akko's eyes. And for a brief singular second, Diana found those eyes to have the most beautiful shade of red she has ever seen.

"You're the only one they haven't hurt yet." She ignored the sudden growth of Akko's eyes as her mouth hung open slightly from the realisation. "They went to Hannah and Barbara and their radical thoughts hurt Amanda and her team already... you're the only one that they haven't attacked to hurt me..." The idea of hurting Akko again, even by association made Diana's heart ache slightly. "I don't want that to change tonight."

"Diana…" Akko whispered, voice weightless from disbelief. There were tears in her eyes and Diana struggled to not look away.

"Do you understand why I want you to go instead of me?" Diana said, her voice quiet enough to match Akko's, squeezing Akko's hands one last time. "I don't want them to hurt you."

"But I don't want them to hurt you, you don't deserve to go through this, any of this!" Akko reasoned, the tears flowing freely as she squeezed Diana's hands in return. "Especially not alone…"

Diana was about to speak, confess that though she's scared before she had the chance she was knocked off her balance as Amanda ran up to her. "Hey, I hate to hurry this touching moment but we gotta get going soon, I hear people checking shit at one end of the corridor."

Diana looked at Akko and gave her a quick nod and another quick squeeze of the hands before she lets go of them and gave a quick look around her, ignoring how Amanda gave an apologetic shrug to Akko. She looked back at the window, eyeing the green wall that trapped her and those she cares about into this area of fear. A sense of dread and the familiar haunting words of guilt knock on her doorstep again but she forced herself to shrug it off. She already had a form of a breakdown, she can't waste time to have another. Diana turned back around after a fresh breath of air. "So what's the plan?"

"I'm thinking you get a headstart, draw whoever the fuck we are dealing with away whilst I lead Akko to the getaway plan. After she's gone, I sneak back to the main group or cause mayhem and try not to get caught." Amanda explained as she headed to the door, the other two following close behind. "If that plan goes shit all though then I guess we wing it and hope for the best."

"Must you refrain from using such foul language, Amanda?" Diana couldn't help but comment, a small smile on her face to ease away the tension creeping behind all of them.

"Only you Cavendish," Amanda chuckled under her breath as she opens the door quietly. "Would be pissed off with swear words when we got colour-phobes breathing down our necks."

"Would you like it any other way?" Diana asked.

Amanda paused, silence overcoming her once again before she gave Diana a brief glance at the corner of her eyes. "No," She smiled, voice so quiet that Diana almost missed it. "So stay safe will ya?"

Diana smiled to herself as she nodded slightly, taking a deep breath as she stepped out of the safety of the room. Her eyes glanced at either side, her body tensing slightly as two people taller than her are cloaked in dark blue robes, peered inside a lit room to the far left of her. The other side was empty but had a closed door and in front of her was a window. It was arched shaped, big enough to let her through and more importantly, it could be open with a simple spell.

Instinctually her hand reached for the wand on her waist but she took off running to the closed door on the right side the moment she felt air where her wand usually was. Once again, Diana mentally cursed herself that she didn't even think to bring a wand in the first place. It would be easier to cause a distraction with one and it would've been fun to defenestrate and not be severally cut from glass shards if she tried.

Diana heard a shout behind her as she moved faster. She ran side to side in a serpentine manner as green, purple and cyan coloured beams of magic missed her body and collided with the wall. Chains and vines and other objects of entanglement rose from the ground and littered the path before another beam of light crashed to the floor in front of her. Diana's eyes grew large as a wall started to form in front of her, rising at a speed Diana didn't know could be possible, to speed that Diana could not match… but that didn't stop her trying.

Her eyes narrowed in determination as she gritted her teeth. She doubled her speed to the point where she could hear nothing but her accelerated, thundering heartbeat in her ears. The wall was already high enough that she couldn't jump over herself so Diana leapt up on the small table close to the edge, kicked off the ornaments placed there and used it as a platform to leap at the wall. Her arms were draped over the bricks and her knees slammed on the wall with a grunt. She wasted no time, however, and pulled herself up and over the wall, jumping down to roll as another beam of magic shot the ceiling where she once was. Not hesitating any longer, Diana opened the door in front of her and moved on to the next corridor.

Diana slammed the door behind her, allowing herself time to breathe the moment she noticed the corridor was empty. Diana glanced down at herself and grimaced at the red marks on her hands where she gripped the bricks a bit too much and at the new bruises on her legs that she couldn't feel because of the adrenaline in her body. Diana looked around her for the next step. An idea formed in her head on how she can delay her pursuers before it was crushed immediately when she realised she doesn't have the tools to deliver it, aka a wand.

A sigh escaped Diana's lips, frustration evident on the scowl on her face and the way a hand buried itself in her hair. With nothing else planned par running more, Diana jogged to the window and peered down to see if the fall would be worth it. She knew her stamina would not last if she just continued running and she didn't plan on giving them an easy capture. To her surprise, she was on the bottom floor of the school. Diana went to work straight away and open the window.

By the time she lifted the window up to create a reasonable gap, the door behind her slammed open. The hoods from the cloaks fell and Diana noticed the contrast between the two faces. One had startled brown eyes and a wand faltering and the other had a snarl on her face as she pointed her wand at Diana, cyan glowing at the tip. Diana's eyes grew before they settled with a fierce look on her face and she lunged at the attacker. She grabbed the wand and cancelled the spell before shoving herself towards the fourth year. The fourth-year staggered back, surprised at the sudden collision as she stumbled into her partner. In the quick chaos, Diana went through the window then locked it with a simple twirl of the wand when she got to the other side before running.

The wand's magic twitched under her control, small sparks coming from the simple spell. Diana grimaced but still clutched the wand despite the uncomfortableness of it all. It didn't belong to her, she knew this and it would seem like the wand does as well. It was akin to wearing an itchy sweater that shrunk in the wash.

She peered around the corner of the building, eyes narrowing as she spotted two more cloaked figures. She looked at the other possible exits and saw the same scene, two more cloaked figures searching for her or any other person. Diana moved back behind the wall, gripping the wand as she tried to think of a way to distract them before they came closer.

Diana glanced at the night sky, once more sadden of the green blanket that spoiled the night's starlight aesthetics before she smiled. She mumbled the words against her lips as she lifted the wand to the sky. Cyan light launched itself to the sky, pinpointing itself in certain areas like they were painting a constellation before they pulsed once in union and the constellation came to life. What was once the Scorpio constellation in the middle of the sky is now a giant astral scorpion that crashed its way to the older years before it filtered out to a cloud of sparkling smoke fit with starlight and glitter, blocking everyone's views.

Diana smiled as she started to head through the cloud of stardust and curses of annoyances but the smile faded instantly the moment she saw who was on the other side, more sets of cloaked figures, their sneers illuminated in the green light. Their wands were raised and there was an incantation on all their lips and Diana the pang in chest told her what she knew, this was the end. That didn't mean she would give up without a fight.

Her first spell was a shield to surround her, the same one that saved her from the Murowa spell days ago. It glowed in a burst of cyan sparks, just in time for the spells aimed at her to bounce against the shield and hit other people. She watched as older students became entangled in vines and snares, one even fell asleep where they stood. It caused some wildfire to bloom in her, a thrill powered through the recklessness of her actions.

Diana dropped the shield before pointing to some figures and set the edges of their robes alight. Then she caused arrows of ice, electricity and stone towards those that remained before following her instinct and put another shield up to block herself from the next wave of spells. The sense of victory and hope moved in her veins and Diana struggled not to grin at their misery. Why was it that four, maybe six older students with more knowledge, more skills managed to fall to simple tricks she borrowed from none other than Akko and Amanda themselves?

The answer came to her immediately when coldness swept through her body, locking her limbs and muscles in their place as slow claps echoed from the distance that kept getting louder with every passing second. So this was the reason, they wanted her to feel like she could win just so that it could be snatched from her. Around her the other students snickered and gave her a smug arrogant smile as they parted like the sea, allowing Diana to see who hit her with the spell.

The figure stopped clapping as her poisoning bright green eyes caught Diana's. The dark chestnut hair bounced on her shoulders as she laughed, her red lips forming an innocent and respectful smile. Diana couldn't lie to herself, the way her happy smiling expression contrasted dark threatening aura surrounding the stranger terrified her. The stranger made her mind scream that they should run which made her even more terrified when she realised this person is the reason why she physically can't.

"I won't lie, Cavendish," the figure said when she was right in front of Diana, her tall figure bearing over her, her voice cool and calm like this was another normal night to her. "You surprised me, I knew you were quick but I didn't expect this much hassle." Her eyes caught the wand still clutched in Diana's hand and she let out another round of high pitched laughter. "And without your own wand! You even stole it from my friend of all people."

The crowd chuckled ominously whilst the stranger ran her hand through her dark brown hair before she crouched down to Diana's height. "You were quick Diana Cavendish, I'll admit that, unfortunately," she sighed as she flicked her wand towards the shield causing it to corrode to dust straight away. Now without anything to block her innocent gaze and calm smile, Diana quivered under her gaze as the image of a serpent ready to strike overlaid the calm expression the figure had.

"You weren't quick enough."

* * *

 

Diana woke up to pain, a harsh sting on her cheek that complimented the swift jerk of her head to the left. Her mind only started working when she heard the sharp collected gasp whispered around making her realise the heavy truth of the situation. She was caught. She was in the hands of those who hurt her in the past few days and she was in a lot, a lot of pain. Not only from the slap but from the pain the adrenaline hid from her when she ran.

"Awake Cavendish?" A voice, the same voice before she was knocked out asked acting cool and collected like before. "If not, I'm sure I can try harder to wake you up." Diana could hear the threat in her words and despite the pain, she forced her body to move to face the voice. Yet she couldn't move a single bit. The only thing that could move were her eyes that shot open with fear. There was a faint snicker somewhere in front of her as she tried again, the attempt causing more to join the lone snicker and belittling laughter. This time only her head moved and it was there she finally caught on to the little inside joke the fourth years know. She was in another body-locked spell.

She looked down around herself first and was surprised to see the lack of restrictive materials on her. She was on a chair, no metal chains securing her to the seat, nor there was anything bounding her hands or legs together but then again, the body locked spell made sure she would stay in place. She glanced either side of her, her heart screamed in anguish as it sunk to her stomach to just rot away in acid when she spotted the huddled and scared faces of her own year behind a fence of older students.

There the dark mantras in her head cooed to her, the words they whispered back when Amanda locked the door in the spare classroom now have evidence to turn those words into facts. She did this. She did this to her fellow classmates… the only comfort was that Akko managed to get away. She swallowed the guilt and shame down her throat as she turned her head to whoever was in front of her, she doesn't have time to self-hate when she was at death's door.

"Like what you see Diana?" The leader, the girl with the poison green eyes and dark brown hair smiled, a sickening innocent looking smile on her face. Once again, Diana didn't see a person but a snake hiding in the flowers ready to strike. "You should see what we've done to Akko."

Before, specifically the moment where she was explaining to Akko why she needed to leave, Diana thought she would break into tears if she found out they hurt her. That her heart would grow heavy with sadness and despair and sink deep in her stomach, aching in pure justified pain that she failed to look after at least one of her close friend. Now, at this moment, she just wants to do nothing but kill the person right in front of her.

Her blue eyes sharpened as if they were blades as she stared right at the leader hoping to mentally end her. Her face caused the rest of the people around her to laugh, arrogantly underestimating her, they seemed to forget that she was, no- _is still_  known as the best witch to ever come to Luna Nova.

In the blind ignorant sea of laughter, Diana lunged forward out of her seat. The sheer rage and pure willpower overcoming the body lock spell as she elbowed the leader, snatched the wand and locked herself and the leader in a defensive bubble with a wand pulsing bright red under the leader's throat. All before the wands of the other students were out facing them.

"What did you do to her?" Diana said, voice remorseless and cold.

The leader, whose eyes were wide in surprise and confusion blinked. Then the surprise and confusion were gone from her entire expression as a smile slowly crept on her face, innocent and calm as it was before. "You want to know what I did to her?" She smiled, not even scared that Diana can do a murowa spell right now and end her life. "I did-"

"NOTHING"

Diana's vivid killing intent shattered as she jerked her head up to the haggard but familiar voice, from the corner of her eyes she could see the leader scowl and glare outside the bubble barrier and relief drowned out the remains of her anger and bloodlust. However the relief didn't last long as she followed the glares to find Amanda struggling to even speak against the spells placed on her.

Her hair was a wild mess, her left eye was blackened and bruised and marks of purple littered her body, there was dry blood that ran from her broken nose and from the small cuts on her arms and hands, even a tooth was gone from her teeth. She looked like she went through a war but that illusion faded when Amanda caught her staring and gave a crooked smile. "She got away! Made sure to-"

Diana didn't hear the rest, her focus got caught off when something slammed into her gut causing her to not only drop the bubble defence from the lack of concentration but also made her drop the wand as well. She staggered as another fist, this time to the left of her, slammed itself to her nose. Now blood trickled on her cheeks, tickling her as another fist was slammed into her face.

"Words of advice," the leader scoffed as she pushed Diana to the hands of her underlings to drag her back to the chair, the calm voice becoming nothing more than a cold indifference. "Don't take your eyes off the enemy and learn to take and give a few hits." Diana coughed out the blood that trickled from her nose to the mouth as her hands are tied together at the back of her chair. "As we all we know, magic is dying." She said those words as a lecture, as a warning but Diana didn't know if that was for her or for the audience watching.

Diana looked at her once again, eyes defiant and sharp as ever, the knowledge that Akko is okay and away from the monsters in front of her gave her courage to do so. Now the leader isn't trying to pathetically hide behind the innocent and sweet facade, her face was cold, calculating. It gave an air of strength, power and hatred. Pure, revolting hatred. She would be lying to herself if she denied that the hatred emanating from the figure in front of her didn't scare her.

"Well," The leader said, glancing at Amanda with a scowl on her face. "Since someone decided to spoil the nice surprise," she turned back to Diana, the scowl replaced with a cunning smile as she crouched down to her level. "We can start with the main event."

She stood up, dusting off the dirt on her clothes as she faced the audience of first years. "My name," The leader began as she stood up and addressed the other people in the year. "Is not important but for those who want to know its Lyn, Lyn Hopkins. Don't try to and see if you heard of my name cause you really haven't, I'm more of the hidden kind."

She clicked her fingers and a few people in her years circle her, wands facing the air as they different sparks of light glowed at the tip before they flew up to the sky, each colour spiralling up in their own fashion before they collided to form a flash of colour, a cycle that switches from red, blue, green then purple. The main colours of the words, the full ones that people desired, the ones that were accepted.

"Words, the only thing from ancient times that aligned us with our fates. Everyone here knows about them, there was even a party to celebrate them, all of them." Lyn throws her hands to the air and gestured to the unused speakers, broken chairs and ruined dance floor. "This one." The smile splits as she takes a spare chair from somewhere near her and leans on it, the smile vanished from her face and replaced with a sombre look. "Which is why we had to step in and educate you all properly before you all made fools of yourself."

There was a shift between the students and silence fell before them, a silence so heavy that their hidden murmurs ceased. All eyes, no matter where they wandered before, never again strayed from Lyn's frown and distant eyes.

"You want to know why I did what I did?" She asked, her voice cold and frustrated. "You want to know why I hate this party? Why I hate this scum?" She clicked her fingers and Amanda is thrown to the ground in front of her, her red and blue tinted words ruined with dried blood, body weak and tired. Diana shot a worried look at Amanda, to try and send her a silent thank you for helping. Amanda couldn't look at her, she couldn't even open her eyes.

Lyn sneered at Amanda, spitting at the ground near her before she crouched down to reach her level. She then pulled Amanda's hair up, showing her ruined face to the crowd like it was a showcase. "This tainted bastard tried to save her own hide instead of trying to save all of you." The crowd gasped and Diana tried to search for her friends in the crowd to try and give them a silent denial but fear began to spread when she couldn't see the green team, nor anyone in the red or blue.

Lyn stood up, dropping Amanda's face to the ground with little care. She wiped her hands on her sleeves before she clicked her fingers. Automatically two cloaked people picked Amanda up and dragged her away like a prisoner, one person holding an arm, lifting her enough that her feet dragged with them. Lyn didn't notice that Amanda was dragged from the scene, her attention was focused on the crowd in front of her and the spotlight dressing her in the moonlight.

"It's simple really," she declared as the light slowly shifted from red to blue, then to what Diana presumes another accepted colour. She walked closer to the crowd with a gentle and forgiving smile. "It was to protect you, all of you." She said those words with such care and devotion that it made Diana sick listening to it but not from disgust, but from worry that there were people amongst the crowd that was buying it.

"I'm protecting you from the more darker things in our society, the more evil people that lurk around us. People who think it's okay to show off their words to uninformed people," She said, hinting extremely to Amanda before she turned her head to look at Diana with a knowing grin.

"And possibly... her."

Like a switch people started to murmur among the crowds. Diana winced at the sudden spotlight of her and the bleak colour of white reflecting on her clothes. Lyn must've noticed her smile grew ten folds to Diana and Diana alone. From the one look, Lyn's snarling teeth and hidden motives became bare to her. Though, Diana tried to keep a brave face, her heart began to race as her anxiety started to jump to conclusions and panic began to settle in.

"The moment!" Lyn started again when the talks began to grow louder and louder, her voice killing all conversations. She looked away from Diana and Diana used that peace to reign in her emotions and pull the threads holding her together tighter.

"The moment people include everyone, the moment people accept everyone's colours is the moment you accept the devil colours." Her voice boomed, it was clear and curt and there was no room to hesitate or room to talk back. It was deadly, powerful and it made Diana's hands tremble behind her chair.

"Cause if you can accept this!" She exclaimed, as she did a twirl of her wand where colour zipped above her like a firework before it bloomed to words, bloomed into Amanda's red and blue tinted words.

"A person who will cause a lot of havoc when she meets her soulmate!" She continued, ignoring the shocked gasp from the crowd and Diana's more quieter worried gasp. "You're more likely to accept that!" This time when she points to the sky, it's to where the main colours of the words were projected to the middle of the sky. The colours began to quicken with the colour transitions before it all merged into the one colour that left several students gasping and others screaming.

_Black._

"You are more likely to accept black coloured words." Lyn snarled, raising her wand in the air as Amanda's words shifted into black as well. "The plague spawn," She spat in disgust. "The rattus," she continued as she started to stalk towards the crowd, the fear from them growing immensely as she did.

"The curse of all witches."

Each slur and names fired from Lyn's mouth made Diana shiver and squirm as she looked away, the words were bullets being shot through her heart. Even more when Lyn explained the colour of her words, how they kill their ultimate lover with a single word, how they hurt the people around them, even if they never meant to. It's this sort of exposure that makes Diana forget about the people who still love her, who see her differently. It's these moments that Diana is reminded that in spite of trying to do so much good to the world that she is just another monster.

Lyn paused for silence and Diana wondered if she knew the damage each pause caused her. To make her suffer inside her own head whilst she created dramatic effects for the audience. She thought back to her cousin, the one who loved her but had to move to France to protect herself. She listed off Hannah and Barbara, of the burns and the faked death curse they gained by being her closest friends. Her mind flashed to the past, the image of Amanda's broken face in tears and self-loathing seared into her mind once more. Luckily, or perhaps, unluckily, Lyn started to speak again before her thoughts tormented her further.

"You may be wondering, why people who bear the black words monsters?" She asked, her words growing colder as her hands clenched. Above her, Amanda's words flickered and disappeared though no one noticed, even Lyn, even Diana who would've seen it as a sign of some sorts.

"The Black Death, the civil wars, a lot of plagues and even the old the witch trials," Lyn listed with a despairing laugh meant for the gallows. "The only thing that connected them are the black words. They caused them, they guided them either directly or as a butterfly effect."

"Furthermore...they affected the school already." Another pause, another rise of murmurs in the crowds and another look Lyn sent to Diana. Once again, Diana's mind jumped, her heart raced as the stare lasted longer than usual, like she knew the big secret inked on her skin.

"I thought the same as all of you, black is just a colour but then I saw what they truly were." Lyn stated, eyes not leaving Diana's as another slow lazy grin emerged on her face. She didn't even bother to turn to the rest of the class. "You see there was a black in the school before and you know what they did after we accepted them? They made the school go into debt. Chaos after chaos, trouble after trouble. After a while the student body had enough and got rid of her as she was a danger to the students."

It was a threat or perhaps a warning, maybe even a lecture. Diana didn't know why Lyn kept her eyes on her and her alone but she tried really hard not to show any sense of fear. Finally, after what seemed to be hours of eye to eye silent interrogation, Lyn looked away and turned to the rest of her year. "But by that time it was already too late and she caused the school to plunge into a never-ending debt."

The student body didn't wait for a pause to erupt into a chorus of talks and muted whispers and Diana watched in horror as the before faces of mistrust and hatred slowly converted to understanding and acceptance. It scared her even more than Lyn's side glances that do nothing but push her anxiety to the extreme.

"You see?" Lyn grinned as she pointed to the crowds, nodding to their accepting smiles. "The black words are an evil menace to society." There was a cheer to her voice, a cheer that only grew when other people echoed it. "This is why I am here!" The excitement continued as her voice became grander and her arms outstretched like a performer.

"Luna Nova already has enough trouble so I decided it's my duty to weed out the black word out of this school. My farewell gift as a senior student." Her words brought smiles to the crowds, some nodding in agreement whilst some stared at their fellow classmates in horror, shaking their bodies and trying to talk some sense back into them. "History is repeating itself ladies, chaos after chaos, trouble after trouble so it's natural to believe there is a black word amongst your year and I'm here for her."

Her words, brought in a nonchalance tone silenced everyone. Everyone, from the people starting to believe her to Diana who had her head down the entire time whilst she was talking stared right at Lyn. Lyn smiled at the crowd, unaffected by her words, acting as if she just commented on the weather instead of commenting that someone dangerous in her eyes was amongst them. Diana's face paled, her mouth was dry and hung open from fear and her eyes were wide. They grew even wider when not only Lyn's twisted her body to look solely at her but when everyone else stared at her too.

"I'm here for you…"

Lyn's words were whispers but they spoke volumes in the sheer silence of the courtyard. Diana struggled not to panic, to contain the calmness in her body despite her hands shaking behind her chair, the weight of everyone's stares overwhelming her. She doesn't want to look at Lyn's eyes, she feared that the truth will be exposed in a single glance and there they will force her to show the words that they all fear.

"You, Diana Cavendish," Lyn confirmed as she pointed a finger at her, spiking Diana's fears and worries as breathing became more difficult to maintain at a normal level. "Are the main reason why I'm here. You accept those who don't belong here, you're blinding your peers of the dangers. You can easily convince everyone here that people who have gradients, people who have black words are good people."

Lyn stalked towards her, her green eyes narrowed to daggers, the downward curl of her lips full of disgust and loathing. She towered over her as she starts to lean down and gets close to her face as she gripped her hair and yanked her back and forced Diana to look at her. The pain of her head being pulled was excruciating but still, Diana found a way to avoid her beady gaze.

"Perhaps you are just ignorant, but if you are then you are not the best that Luna Nova has to offer." She said curtly before she grabbed Diana's cheeks and squeezed, making sure that Diana looked at her straight in the eye. Whatever she was looking for she didn't find it, she let go of her face with a disappointed scoff. "If you aren't ignorant and fully aware of what sort of people you're mingling with, well then you are just worse than anything I've ever known or met."

She lets go of her, the sudden absence of her weight forced the chair to rock back and forth on the hind legs before it falls forward, back on all fours. "But despite being a curse lover Cavendish, I do have to thank you," Her words stopped the pointed looks of accusations people sent to Diana and Diana herself found herself staring up into Lyn's poisonous green eyes for an explanation as she bared her teeth in a big coy smirk. "I mean if it weren't for you defending the scum over there and fighting someone for them, who else would've noticed the little secret you have been hiding from us."

Diana stopped breathing. In her head, everything erupted to a garbled mess of screaming and panic. She tried to maintain a cool facade but with the sheer loss of mental control, mixed in with the irregular speed of her heartbeat nothing could stop her eyes screaming in pure horror, the colour of her skin bleached to a sickening pale tone. Lyn laughed once more, amused by the confession given by body language alone as she leaned in closer, taunting Diana even more, slowly pushing her over the edge to a panic attack.

"I know Atsuko Kagari has the black words."

The words were whispered, a secret conversation only for her and her alone. Diana for the moment, allowed herself to feel at ease that she hasn't figured out the truth before her mind delved into chaos.

This was not what Diana wanted, whilst she was forever grateful that her secret is still a secret, she didn't want it to be this way. She didn't want Akko to be a scapegoat for her own misfortune. She never wanted any of this. Maybe this her real punishment for Friday? Instead of an escalated or exaggerated form of short but repairable damage to her family like what happened every year so far, she ruined her friend's entire future.

Not to mention she is trapped in a position where if she did nothing, one of her closest friends would be persecuted and hunted for something that's not her fault. Where if she were to do something, she would move the blame to some other unfortunate soul or give Lyn enough hints to figure out the black words scarring her skin. If this was her annual punishment then by Jennifer's name she was pathetic and stupid to think that Lyn finding her and hurting her like this was enough suffering for the loathsome Friday for Hearts Week. How stupid of her to believe that her words are satisfied with her own pain.

In her thought Diana's hands rattled against the rope that bound her to the chair as the shock on her face morphed into a mix of worry and anger. Her eyes were focused and determined but her lips wobbled from the terror within in spite of her gritted teeth. Lyn cackled at her as she stepped back and away.

"So I was right!" She grinned, the smile equally smug and vicious as she turned around to face the audience. "Ladies, the identity of the black words is-"

Lyn was cut off as a loud static noise screamed from nowhere causing everyone to cower, shut their eyes and place their hands on their ears as the screeches continued. Diana having her hands bound together, couldn't do anything but wince as the static continued. Yet despite the pain ringing in her ears, Diana found the urge to look up and couldn't help but widen her eyes when she saw the green barrier in the sky, fizzle and pulse. By the time the static finally died down, the barrier was also fading away.

"Why is the barrier down?" Lyn snarled as she followed Diana's gaze. "Where is group B? Aren't they distracting the teachers?"

"They are still with some teachers last time I heard Lyn!" A fourth-year spoke as they tried to calm the crowd.

"Then what the hell is this!?"

The answer was immediate. A blast of red energy swirled through the various crowds and hit Lyn straight on the chest, catching her completely off guard. Diana watched as a cloud of smoke appeared from where Lyn last once, cueing in the shocked screams and gasps from the crowd as a rabbit, a badly metamorphosed rabbit, was in her place. If she wasn't tied to a chair with dried blood on her face and if Lyn didn't have an expression of pure murder Diana would have laughed. Unfortunately the spell didn't last long, within seconds Lyn was back up to her normal self except her hair was now dishevelled and clothes a mess.

"Wands out you lot," Lyn snarled as lifted her right arm up, casting a barrier as her magic collided with another red bolt that conjured from nowhere before cursing as another bolt of magic, this time coloured a pale green clashed with her shoulder. Flowers and vines sprouted from her clothes, the roots entangling themselves with her limbs. Lyn shrugged off her cloak before they fully trapped her movements, tossing it to the ground as another barrier formed in front of her, firefly-like sparks erupting on the shield as the sudden barrier dissipated.

From her seat Diana had a clear view of the chaos and panic around her. Somewhere to her left Amanda bolted from the shadows, free and healed as best as she could with her fist clenched and fire in her eyes. In front of her she could see Lotte and Sucy from the windows, using the chaos to fight back with sprites running around the place whilst pools of potions were scattered in the courtyard. She could hear the shouts of her friends, of people who didn't believe in Lyn trying to talk or pacify those who do. There is the snarl of the fourth years, the conjuring of spells, sudden shields dissipating, fights and brawls breaking out, student against student, one's belief against another.

It was a harsh symphony of yelling, crying and curses in the air and slowly. Then, like a scene in a movie, they all faded to white noise and muted silence. From there a voice, her inner voice specifically, was all she could hear. It spoke once and only once, but that was enough to stop her from moving, from taking the opportunity to escape.

" _This fight...our black words did this didn't it?"_

The hesitance in Diana's movement, the sudden stillness that overcame her costed her dearly. Nearby the ground exploded from a backfire of spell casting and the force of the magical blow knocked Diana a few feet away, the chair she sat on breaking as the rope collapsed. In a normal situation where Diana wouldn't be affected by the possible subconscious impact of her words, she would get up from the fetal position she curled herself up in, she would steal a wand and fight back those who hurt her.

This wasn't that situation however, it could never be that situation. Not when the enemy was someone who struck close to the chest, a person who can rally people to their side with words and a strong belief. Not when what's at stake is a secret that's been hanging over her like a noose, ready to kill everything she worked hard to achieve. Not when sometimes the worst monster in the room is herself.

She was already too lost in the idea that this chaotic mess was just another thing to add in her lists of failures and mistakes, another memory to haunt her in everything she does when the nightmares aren't enough. Her vision blurred and the cuts on her cheeks stung as tears trailed down and there was a ringing in her ears from the explosion. Even if she tried to move, her body ached from how she collided roughly on the dirt, her hands weakened from how tight the ropes were around her wrists.

She was silent, body completely still, trapped in her own world as chaos manifested around her. It was as if she wasn't in control of her body, like she was an outsider looking into the scene playing out, even when she felt like she is slowly waking up from this nightmarish hell.

She could hear Lyn shouting, pointing at her but it was all muffled, she can hear a faint whisper of Amanda's shouting in the distance. There is probably a wand pointing her direction and what should be jarring pain from trying to at least sit up is nothing but a hollow sting. There is a flicker of fast movement in the air, a shining arc of magic, one of iridescent light before a shadow loomed and her vision distorted, eventually turning black within a moment's notice.

And just like that, Diana Cavendish, the cornerstone of the year, the catalyst that created this slow whirlpool of conflicting opinions and emotions, vanished from the centre of the battleground.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N- Okay so first of all, I hoped you enjoyed this chapter after well, a year of nothing and I hope that it lived up to your standard. Second of all, I am really fucking sorry for the hiatus, like seriously so thank you so fucking much for like waiting for an update. Also what I mean by finishing this arc I basically mean that I will update the next chapter for sols next week and it will continue like that till I end this arc. What happens next after this arc and plans for the future etc will be explained in the AN of the final arc chapter. I would also like to assure readers that I will be continuing and eventually finish sols. It will probably be slow progress but progress nonetheless. Reviews are appreciated, I will see you all next week.


	14. Chapter 13~ Lyn

When her vision returned, Diana didn't even realise that it did for the first couple of seconds. She woke up to darkness, there was nothing but the pale light of the moon from the glass ceiling and there was no hint where she was par the chilled breeze nipping at her skin.

Light, however, came with a shout and Diana was blinded by it's the sudden intensity and she raised her arm to cover her eyes as she waited for them to adjust to the brightness, not that it helped much anyway. Whatever senses she managed to recover from the abrupt explosion near her at the courtyard was gone with the sudden teleportation. Her vision was not only blurred but tilting, rocking back and forth as if she was drunk, her head kept on ringing and her hearing was once again muffled.

It was a miracle that she managed to get up without falling over again.

Yet despite all this, Diana still jumped at the sound of a door slamming near her followed by an onslaught of curses and screaming in a snarling voice. "WE HAD EVERYTHING FIGURED OUT!" Diana winced at the loud volume of collisions following that statement as her vision sharpened enough to just see the clouded lines of the twisted trunk of the Jennifer Tree.

"WE HAD WEEKS TO PLAN THIS! I WAS SO CERTAIN THAT WE KNEW WHO THE BLACK WORD WAS. WE WERE GOING TO REVEAL IT AND PROTECT THE SCHOOL!"

It was that moment where Diana realised whose voice she picked up despite the throbbing in her head and the muffled senses. It was the sound of Lyn, the girl who orchestrated everything with such detailed planning yet failed in that moment of chaos. It was the girl who was very extreme in her beliefs, very angry about what just happened and very much out of sight.

Diana turned around as a shadow extended behind her, and there hiding in a short distance was a blurred sight of a person. As her vision focused Diana could see the tattered vines that were too stubborn to be torn away, she could smell the hints of burnt and charred cloth and in the gasp of recognition, Diana could taste the metallic tinge of blood in the air. In front of her was Lyn with blood under her nose and scraps and bruises over her arms. That was all Diana could tell before a sudden ache pierced her gut and she flew back a couple of feet and landed on the floor, the concrete bruising more of her face.

"What went wrong Diana?" Lyn asked, her voice once again masking innocence and ignorance.

Diana ignored the question, her face was stinging at the new small nicks and cuts she got from the concrete flooring. Her head still ached but the ringing has subsided enough that she could hear Lyn repeat the question again in a more, quiet but distraught voice. For a second Lyn almost sounded human were it not the dangerous anger still present in those whispers.

She wouldn't lie to herself. She had half a mind to give up, to let Lyn win and harm her all she pleased. The question her brain whispered to her amongst all the chaos still lingered in the forefront of her mind. The one that caused her to freeze and quiver like a rabbit in a snare.

"This fight...our black words did this didn't it?"

It's all she could really understand. If she caused all that pain before, all that chaos then maybe this the world's retribution, the karma given since she caused this by staying. Maybe people would've been hurt less if she didn't stay. Maybe things would've been different if she left the party instead of Akko. Akko…

"Answer me!" Lyn shouted behind her and from her now restored vision, Diana could see the flicker of light in the air before a neon green light broke through the concrete near her. Wisps of smoke drifted from rings of charred stone and rubble that came with the blast.

Diana didn't answer. Instead, she sucked in a deep breath and tried to push herself off the ground in spite of protest in her arms and how her muscles screamed with agony. It was this reason alone why she's pushing herself despite half of her mind telling her that she deserved this treatment. She knew getting hurt would pain those she truly cared about, she knew getting beaten without a fight would just hurt them.

She might've forgotten this at the courtyard where nothing but fear and the paranoia of her secret being figured out suffocated and paralyzed every rational and reasonable thought in her head. When she could do nothing but be forced to listen to the nicknames and slurs used against her as a child growing up. But she couldn't forget this now, she already saw Akko cry once tonight. She didn't want to see it again.

The thought of Akko, of a girl so bright and caring, made Diana forget about her pain and the heavy guilt of the black words etched on her skin. It was the final push needed to help herself get off the ground. Though the sudden shift from lying on the ground to standing made her light-headed enough to forget Lyn's taunts and she staggered to the tree for balance. She stayed there, trying to try and recover some semblance of strength, listening carefully to Lyn's calculated footsteps as she stalked closer.

"The black words would've been revealed, even if I left this school to go to prison or whatever, my job would've been done. The people here would be safe and chase her out." Lyn explained, pausing in her step. Diana hesitated her next breath and her heart raced as she waited for the right moment to move. From the corner of her eye she could Lyn's arm rose and aim at her. "If I didn't ruin your dear cursed friend, my legacy would've been enough to finish the job."

Diana turned around to face Lyn and stared at her cold and bloodied face, trying so hard not look at the monster disguised as a human or the tip of Lyn's wand that glowed brighter with each passing second. "Yet here we are Diana Cavendish," Lyn continued, her voice low with annoyance as a small grimace found itself on her lips, "In a place where we're both going to lose."

Diana expected flashes of acid green and another round of blackened vision. Instead, she saw a burst of red energy collide with Lyn's outstretched arm before grass green overwhelmed her vision when something pushed her to the ground before disappearing in a mere second.

By the time Diana stood up and away from the grass smell she was in a world of a murky smoke and fog. The fog itself was coloured brown, the same way paper in books looked after years of abandonment or if it was pressed against tea. The dust was enough to make Diana squint her eyes and cough as she kept her eyes and feet moving before she found herself backed against the glass wall.

There was no Lyn yet and for a second Diana allowed herself to have a taste of relief before her posture straightened and her eyes became more vigilant than ever, knowing her skills, Lyn not being seen wasn't exactly a good thing. There was also the topic of her mystery saviour that pushed her out of the way. Diana didn't know who they were nor how they came in but she did know that she needed to find them before Lyn does. Lyn was not a person to be fought alone if an opportunity arose, even a fool would understand that.

But before Diana rushed off into the unknown, she stretched out her arm and silently gulped when she could barely see the tips of her fingers. There was the smell of smoke and burnt wood to mix in with the tinge of blood in the air and Diana swallowed down the fear on her tongue as she remembered how to breathe.

"Can you speak Diana?" Lyn called from the fog of war between them. Diana noted the distance and the loud echo of her voice and started to move away from the wall in caution. She needed to find that other person in the room before Lyn did and get to them fast. "Or did I accidentally made you mute earlier? I'll prolong your inevitable demise if you could answer me, I promise."

"I highly doubt you mean any of your promises Lyn," Diana responded, ignoring how her voice croaked those sentences out of her mouth, ignoring how rough and haggard she sounded. She was more focused on walking away in quiet careful steps in search of the sudden help and perhaps finding a way out amongst all of the dense murky brown fog.

"Oh, believe me, I am a woman of my words." There was a laughter in those words, a laughter which sounded so cruel yet happy that it made Diana froze in her steps from dread. "I'll deal with you as soon as I'm done with our little guest." Diana's eyes widened in fear as chaos erupted with a dimmed flash of distant green light and the sound of a curse screaming from Lyn's lips.

Diana leapt forward at the noise but she couldn't get far as an abrupt wall of wind rushed to her and acted as an elemental barrier. Then to Diana's surprise, the wall shifted to a force that narrowed all of the incoming dust and wind to her face. She held her hands up to her face to block most of the dust but she still squinted her eyes as she forced herself to move against the wind. Once more her hearing was muffled and whatever small glimpse of light was hard to see from all the narrowed eyes.

However, small parts of wind in her face subsided eventually and with the freedom to lower her arms, Diana moved her arms against the smoke blocking her vision as if she was swatting a fly. Despite her efforts, the coverage of the smoke didn't disperse but Diana could just see the flashes of different lights and continued moved in that direction quickly. Soon enough she saw two simple silhouettes move through the fog, dancing to the sound of quick chants of spells and curses, illuminated in sudden flashes of colour akin to a lightning storm.

"For a curse word, you're pathetic!" She heard Lyn snarl, frustration dripping through her words.

Diana paused. If she took another step she knew she would have succumbed to her knees in shock. Her hands shook, her eyes were wide, trembling at the likely possibility of who her saviour was and denial whispered from lips in a soft tremble. There was only one person Lyn would call a curse word, there was only one person she accused. "No…"

"How?" She whispered to any god or any of the nine who listened. Diana didn't believe it, she couldn't believe it. Logically there was no reason nor explanation on how she managed to get here but as the coverage of dense clouds started to subside around her and in front of her, the feature of the silhouettes of the scene before Diana became prominent.

Diana couldn't deny her mental denials now, in the breath of recognition, Diana's heart pulsed twice the speed. For some, insane and unexplainable reason, Akko Kagari was right in front of her. Akko Kagari was fighting Lyn, fighting for her and she was probably fighting for her life. It took everything in Diana to not scream out her name and distract her. She doesn't know how she got in, she doesn't know how Lyn noticed but Akko is here. That fact alone was enough to make Diana feel safe, just for a brief but needed second.

"For a fourth year, you can't really aim!" Akko yelled as her silhouette dived towards Lyn before there was another flash of light and Akko disappeared from view. Lyn screamed in frustration, twirling her wand in the air and another wave of wind, one that was much more stronger than the last one came once more to Diana.

Surprised, Diana yelled as she stumbled back before cursing herself to be distracted and allow an opening to appear. She then dug her feet to the ground to stop herself moving back and brought her arms to her face to block the sudden current of dust and smoke. "Diana!" She heard Akko yell, her voice once again being a bit muffled.

Diana forced her eyes to stay open, squinting just enough to see two flashes of different lights, one red and the other bright green bounce off each other again and again, sparks flying with every connection. It stayed like this for a couple of more seconds and fear etched itself to Diana's face as she stumbled forward into the fog and onto the floor, the wind and dust no longer consciously attacking her.

Akko's turned to her for one second and scream out her name in panicked worry. It was a childish and amateur mistake. Toxic green light pounced on her in an instant, Diana saw her vines crawling and lashing out at Akko's silhouette. Akko screamed in pain as Diana rose back up to her feet, only to be pushed back by another barrage of wind. Diana fought to keep her eyes open, terror building up in her blue eyes. Lyn's shadowed figure towered over Akko's and a hideous laughter pierced through the clouds and wind. "Finally, I caught you black rat."

There was another sudden flash of colour, this time of darker almost corrupted shade of green and Diana's eyes widened. "Akko!" She screamed, pushing forward against the heavy wind and dust. There were tears in her eyes and she knew those tears weren't caused by the heavy wind slapped across her face nor from the ongoing irritant of dust in her eyes. Akko was here, Akko was in trouble and here she was, so close to help her but not close enough. The thought of Akko getting hurt because of her, even indirectly, pained Diana to her core before but now seeing it actually happen?

Diana had a feeling she's going to break.

Diana moved towards them as fast as she could till something collided to her face forcing her to pause her steps. Diana's eyes grew as she recognised the flicker of red sparks emitting from the wand stuck in her blonde hair and in an instant, still with one arm up to block the wind in her eyes, Diana's fingers combed through her hair quickly. She had to save her. Her fingers entangled themselves and untangled themselves in a fast cycle as Diana urged herself to push against the barriers of heavy wind and dust. Several times she believed it was free only to receive a sharp tug of her hair and the wand still as entangled as it was before.

After several more gruelling attempts Diana fished the wand out of her hair and held the grip tightly as red sparks sputtered from the tip. She knew already that the one she held was Akko's from the callouses and indented marks of where the nails of her fingers dug too deep into the grip. But despite the difference in user the wand did not react or act poorly to Diana like the other wand she stole before, it accepted her straight away.

On instinct, Diana raised her arms again with nothing but a whisper on her lips and a red illuminated shield rose from the ground and surrounded her, protecting her from another blast of howling wind from the front. Despite the effortless connection and the ease of the spell, Diana still inhaled and exhaled long heavy breaths as she inched closer, her eyes focused on the humanoid silhouette standing in front of her.

"Pull away the wind and fog you coward!" Diana yelled through the howling wind, the rough scratchiness of her voice making her seem more furious than she ever hoped to imagine. To her surprise, Lyn actually conceded to her.

The violent pressure against her shield dropped gradually as the light of the room dimmed slightly. Diana quickly muttered a spell under her breath to heal all the small cuts and aches across her entire body, it wasn't much but it was enough for her to risk it. She waited with her breath caught in her windpipe as the fog too slowly dispersed and the warmth of a low fire spread over her system, the mystic flames licking her wounds as Diana stood taller, stronger even when every part of her was screaming to run or give in.

The stance faltered when the smoke cleared like curtains being opened to reveal something new or brilliant at showcases. Except what was in front of her was nothing new nor brilliant, it was something taken from the darkest parts of Diana's imagination, the area where the dark whispers lingered, where tormented what-if scenarios are stitched and mutilated together.

Lyn stood there, a couple of feet away with a diabolical grin on her cut lips, there was dry blood scattered across her cheeks. Lines of red, shaped in tear tracks, trickled down the various cuts and bruises on her skin, skin revealed from her tattered sleeves and pants. Her eyes, once a beautiful and strong colour of green was now a dark poison, like ivy resting under a shade. The classic and bold Lyn Diana met not hours ago with the slow claps and confident green eyes were gone and instead replaced with a madder, more insane caricature of her and her extreme thoughts.

Diana probably spoke her thoughts through her facial expression as Lyn cackled under the glass ceiling, the moon clinging to her form like a werewolf mid-transformation. "If you think I look bad you should see the other guy," She sneered as she flicked her wand forward where Akko Kagari fell on Lyn's feet like a ragdoll. "She was pathetic, perhaps one of the weakest plague spawn I ever met. Which really was shame, I wanted to practise the specialised elemental spells I saved for her."

Diana didn't hear her, her eyes were trained solely on Akko and her limp figure. Akko was beaten to unconsciousness. One eye was swollen with a purple colouring, her iconic ponytail was gone and was hidden in the mess of brown locks. Her leather jacket and the beautiful red dress she wore for the party was tattered at the seams. Her arms and legs were marred with fresh cuts and bruises and the scars of rose vines that entangled her limbs and forced her to still.

A distress croak left Diana's throat as one hand covered her mouth in shock. Her eyes kept glancing at Akko and at Lyn, Akko to make sure that's okay and to Lyn to make sure she doesn't do anything stupid to her. It gutted her in the chest when she could tell Lyn found her struggle and constant flickering of eyes amusing. "Akko?" Diana asked when she swallowed enough air to catch her voice as it started to break at the sight in front of her.

Akko did not stir at her words but Lyn cackled in her stead, her wicked and scarred hands resting on her hips as she pressed her boot on Akko's stomach and kicked her towards Diana. Akko's body rolled forward, her skin pressed into the rubble of stone and broken pots, creating a new of cuts and bruises until she was in the middle of both them. Once more Diana hesitated, every part of her screamed to help Akko but she knew that if she were to act Lyn would pounce and it would be the end of them all.

"Go on curse lover," Lyn sneered as she stepped back for once. "Try and fix your weak black rat."

Diana stood straighter as she forced her eyes to look at Lyn. "And let you take an easy shot?" She scoffed as she readied her wand, "You must be a fool."

Lyn laughed once more, the light of the room strangely flickered against the volume. "As if I need to take such lowly measures to deal with the likes of you princess." She spat the word princess as if it was a curse on it's on right and Lyn wiped the blood dripping from her lips.

"Besides, I am a woman of my words," She crooned as her poisonous green eyes flickered to the clock on the far side of the wall, Diana glanced at the wall as well and was surprised that it was past quarter past eleven already. "I'll prolong your demise by 5 minutes." Lyn looked at Akko and Diana again with a cackle, "Whether you believe that or not it's up to you." With that Lyn stalked away from them and sat against the glass wall, eyes fixated on the clock.

Diana didn't hesitate. In an instant, she ran to Akko's side and raised Akko's wand, from the ground two thick concrete walls bloomed separating them from Lyn. Immediately a beam of neon green light collided with the top of the wall, forcing Diana to create a barrier above her and Akko and winced as the chunks bounced off them like rain to an umbrella.

"I couldn't see the clock you idiot," Lyn shouted but Diana didn't hear her, all she did was focus on Akko and tried so very hard to not break. When Diana was certain nothing else were to fall on them Diana dropped the barrier and rolled Akko over so that her face was looking at the sky.

"Akko," Diana whimpered as she kneeled next to her, one of the strings she used to pull herself together snapped and it broke the strong front Diana was desperate to keep.

There were tears in her eyes and aches in her heart but Diana has no time for them, Akko needed her. She held Akko's hand and one more string inside her snapped at the jarring cold touch of her skin before she pressed two fingers on her wrist. After a beat of silence, Diana sighed in relief when she felt a pulse under her fingers. Diana then raised Akko's wand to her face, the tip of the wand just hovering over her battered lips and with a gentle whisper Diana blew the spell to the wand and red sparks of healing fell from the wand and to Akko like snowflakes.

Diana glanced at the clock once more as she waved her arms over the body, gently guiding the sparks to various areas over her skin. There were four minutes left. That was not enough time, that was barely time for Diana to heal her, let alone get her away to safety. She needed more but she knew it wasn't possible, Lyn will seize them the second 5 minutes is up.

Diana squeezed Akko's hand, the coldness chilling her bones as she leaned over she checked her breathing and circulation, tears hitting Akko's skin as Diana whispered the same words over and over again. "I'm so sorry Akko," She cried as she moved back, taking a deep breath to calm herself as she furiously wiped the tears away. "I'm so sorry I did this to you," she whispered, choking on her silent tears.

Why? Why did this have to happen? Why was Akko the one hurt for a crime she never did? Akko was innocent, Akko was sweet and kind, she was so jovial that it can warm anyone's heart, even hers. She may be a storm, she may be a person who can cause chaos in her path but she was at heart a good person. She doesn't deserve this. She doesn't deserve to be beaten to a pulp by a misinformed fanatic. She doesn't even have words to begin with.

Diana watched over Akko as the magic did it's work, watching as the purple mark on her eye becomes lighter and the shrinks in size, her bruises fading away in colour and as her skin slowly mends itself from the cuts. At least now Akko looked like she was sleeping opposed to looking dead. Diana squeezed her hand one more time before carefully to pick Akko up in her arms and move her away from the inevitable fight.

Instead of one, several strings broke when Diana lifted Akko and carried her to one of the outcoves that stored equipment, where various pots and bags of dirt remained untouched by the fiasco. Akko was so limp in her arms, so lifeless and even when her dangling feet scrapped the glass walls by accident she did not stir a single bit. It kept breaking Diana over and over again.

With the gentlest care she could muster, Diana laid Akko down back on the ground and put her in a basic recovery position. Double checking and triple checking her airways and making sure that if she were to wake, she won't choke on any fluids like saliva or vomit in the worst case scenario. Then as the hollow breeze brushed against Diana's skin, Diana changed herself back to the normal school uniform before she whispered one final spell over Akko causing her clothes to poof into her regular school clothes and cloak to keep her warm.

Satisfied that they're no longer in tattered and ruined clothes, Diana checked the clock again and bit her lip as two minutes remained on her time with Akko. She sighed as she pressed her hand to Akko's cheeks and brushed away the dried dirt and blood that wasn't washed away with the spell before she moved her hand to her forehead and brushed her bang out of the way.

"I'm so sorry…" Diana murmured to herself, ducking her head in shame and guilt before she tucked away Akko's stray strands of hair behind her ear. There was a sting in her eyes and Diana furiously wiped any tears away before anymore fell on Akko. Subconsciously Diana glanced at her arm, at the words simply hidden under an illusion and once again a simple sentence echoed from the dark corners of her mind.

_"This fight...our black words did this didn't it?"_

Once more the paralyzing words from hours ago crippled Diana yet again as she suddenly froze and tears fell on Akko's face. In took Diana 10 seconds to regain her senses as she took a deep breath and let it out in a frail shudder of an exhale.

She could feel it now, the cold chill that always came before she spirals into internal chaos and it pained Diana even more as she longed for the warmth Akko always brought her. Even holding her wand, with her fingers touched every imperfect flaw on the grip was nothing but a petty substitution to the real thing. It was nothing but a solitary candle, and a candle is but a flickering ember to the raging inferno that is Akko Kagari. An inferno that was already beaten and snuffed out.

"Why did you do this Akko…," Diana whispered as she glanced at the clock, there's a minute now and that was practically nothing, Diana needed to say her goodbye and create a decent barrier from stray spells. "I told you to leave, I told you to stay safe…so why did you come back?" That there was the million pound question, the one thing that kept repeating every now and then when her brain wasn't so focused on the shame and guilt on what happened to Akko.

Why did she come back? She knew that she was the last person they have yet to hurt, Diana explicitly told her about it and even emphasised the fact to drive it back home. So why did she come back? Did she feel guilty about their fight still? Was this her way of saying sorry even when she's already forgiven? If not then why would she come back? To save her? To protect her and get revenge for what they did to her? If any of these were the case then Diana doesn't deserve her at all, not after everything she put Akko through.

Diana took a sharp breath as she forced herself to stand. There was no time left and in a couple of seconds, the final battle to this long, long day will begin. Every breath Diana took was fragile and it quivered against her lips as her mind began to fortify against the plausible goading and taunts that would happen mid-battle. With seconds left on the clock, Diana swiftly turned around and faced the outcove. "You don't deserve this," she whispered to Akko's body in one final goodbye.

Diana twisted her arms around in a silent chant. Within seconds the plants in the flower beds began to extend and grow before twisting themselves over the entrance. They weaved and intertwined themselves again and again into complex layers to act as a barrier for Akko. It took a lot of effort in making sure that the vines and flower heads would be enough to protect Akko from Lyn. In fact, it took so much effort that any other day Diana would scold herself for not saving enough of her magic against the bigger enemy. But right now? Diana didn't care that she is putting herself at a disadvantage when facing Lyn, she had to protect Akko. Lyn hurt her once, she can't let Lyn do that again.

As the spell ended, Diana let out a tired exhale and trudged away from the outcove before leaning against the glass wall. She practically threw herself at it with exhaustion as she allowed her body to slide down to the concrete floor. She needed another minute to replenish her magic, at least to wake herself up a bit. It was no point hiding that Diana was fatigued and not just from physically but mentally and emotionally too.

It was as if there was a permanent weight on her chest, one that limited her potential and skills she could do. Diana glanced at the clock watching as 30 seconds remained. Instead of anxiously waiting with eyes locked on the minute hand in a silent plea to move slower, Diana glanced at Akko's wand in her hand. She counted the number of scratches on the metal spine and fiddled with the dentures and marks on the grip. She envisioned the witch behind those scars, of the girl smiling and using her magic to create smiles and laughter. It made Diana forget about the weight on her chest for a second.

Glancing at the clock, Diana rose as the seconds reached the 15-second mark. She took a deep breath to get the dark thoughts out and away from her system. She doesn't need those things now in her head, she already has to deal with a monster outside of her brain tonight, she doesn't need the internal one to rise anytime soon. She needed to be brave, she needed to be strong, she needed to win. For Akko's sake if not her own.

As the Diana walked away from the walls, her hand gripped Akko's wand and held it tighter when she noticed that the concrete walls she made 5 minutes ago were gone. Lyn was still in sight though, she was still sitting down, twirling her wand casually between her fingers. The fingers froze however when she caught Diana's glare and gave a lopsided grin in return.

Diana said nothing as Lyn began to rise from her seat. She just focused on the weight in hand, of Akko's wand in her calloused fingers. It's a minor detail in the scale of things but Diana was surprised that holding Akko's wand wasn't uncomfortable, nor did it feel wrong. In fact, it was like holding Akko's hand and for the first time in this long terrible night, the singular and frail emotion of hope bloomed in the cracks of her fragmented, tired soul.

"You finished everything on the dot Diana and with some time to spare," Lyn said, her voice happier than before, the sound made Diana's hair on her arms rise as she paid very close attention to her surroundings. She didn't trust this. "How very punctual of you, not that I'm surprised."

"It's better to await a battle than to be caught off guard," Diana answered as stared at Lyn and observed the changes that happened in the last five minutes. To her immediate dislike, Lyn freshened up in those five minutes, the majority of her wounds were healed and even the remains of the courtyard battle that stubbornly hung on in the teleportation were gone.

Lyn scoffed as she twirled her wand in her fingers. "Like I said before princess," Once again Lyn spat out the term princess like it was a curse as she stopped twiddling her wand and pointed it to Diana. Diana's eyes widened as Lyn smirked at her. "I don't need to take such lowly measures to deal with the likes of you."

Scarlet embers glowed at the tip of Lyn's wand and Diana's eyes widened as she rolled to the left to evade the spell cast at her direction. Still, she flinched as a pillar of fire rose from the ground before disappearing out of existence when there was nothing to burn. Her heart burned with its fast pace as Diana stood up and pointed her wand to Lyn. "Murowa!"

Lyn laughed at the spell, snickering as she did nothing but wave her wand in front of her and said two words in mocking precision. "Luna Lana!" Just like that, the infamous Murowa curse Diana cast flickered out of existence.

"Seriously?" Lyn cackled as she taunted Diana with a wicked grin. "You still use children's magic?"

Diana didn't answer and pressed her attack, not wanting to fall for Lyn's goading and mind games. With a slight mumble under her breath, green lightning shot from the tip, the electricity screeching as it raced itself to Lyn. Lyn gave Diana a raised brow, an amused smirk on her face. "Belga Veeda!"

Diana didn't hesitate and cast a magical barrier around her again as the shattering bolt spell she cast at Lyn redirected itself to her with Lyn's counterspell. Within a second, Diana's vision was clouded with smoke as the two spells collided, lightning danced at the surface acting like gnarled fingers trying to grab her. She gritted her teeth and her shoulders stiffened as she braced the small amount of energy that seeped from the spell. She hated to admit it but if Lyn found the Murowa curse, the spell that literally made her feel pain for over a few days due to intense hatred childish, she is scared to figure out what she considered 'adult' magic.

"I'm disappointed Diana," Lyn sneered as the smoke began to subside. "I thought you were the best in your-." Her sentence was broken as Diana summoned an ice spear at Lyn but before any damage could occur Lyn cast a small whirlwind and redirected the spear to the glass instead. "Rude," Lyn tutted as she raised her hands and watched as the Frost spiral spell Diana cast evaporate in the sudden inferno she made to counter the ice spell. "Here I thought you know respect, Diana."

"I don't give a damn about what you say," Diana snapped when she jumped forward, narrowly avoiding the fire arrow Lyn cast. "Foraen Mugrowna!" Diana moved behind the Jennifer tree after casting the spell, her frown darkening as she watched Lyn slash the vines crawling over her with nothing but a green lightsaber.

It annoyed and frustrated her that Lyn knew various ways to counter her, though it was understandable with their gap of arcane knowledge. Despite the problem, Diana didn't waver nor pause and give Lyn a chance to breathe. Sensing the opportunity, Diana looked up and whispered the incantation against her lip and with a small swirl of her wand, dark clouds began to manifest above Lyn.

She hoped to take Lyn off guard but Lyn looked up and rolled forward as lightning bolt began to arc down and collided the space where Lyn once was, Diana grimaced as she slammed her fist against the tree in frustration. She thought she had her, but no matter, she will get her next time. "Another year one spell?" Lyn yawned causing Diana to narrow her eyes at her as she continued to mutter the next spell under her breath. "Why be so restrictive princess?"

Using the storm cloud looming in the ceiling as a focus point Diana used her rain of icicles spell against Lyn. Like a hail storm, shards of ice impacted Lyn in an instant before Lyn turned around and cast a small sandstorm, redirecting the icy shards everywhere. Diana hid behind the tree with wide eyes as her spell backfired, wincing as she jumped away from the bark, the ice spreading over it like a thin layer of transparent silver.

"Finally, you actually do a spell that's useful," Lyn said with a hint of maniacal laughter. "It's a shame that it's so weak."

Diana gripped Akko's wand tightly as she glared at Lyn from behind the tree. It irked her to no end how flippant Lyn acted, how little she seemed to think of her, the arrogance of it made her blood boil. It frustrated her even more that Lyn was obviously toying with her, why else would she allow her to get hit when moments ago she was fighting fiercely for her life? Diana stepped away from the Jennifer Tree with both her arms raised and spell against her lips. The moment Diana took a glimpse of Lyn, she released it.

"Come, my indestructible guardians! In the name of Cavendish! Brandish your swords and strike down those of evil heart! Fineltina la Serana!"

The incantation came out in a snarl, built on frustration, anger and spite. In return what usually would be golden swords were tainted with thick ichor of black, appeared in the sky, the magical viscous liquid fell from the swords like tar. Lyn gave one look at the swords and at Diana and laughed with her hand against her head pushing her messy hair up. "How could I be this blind?" she whispered to herself as the mystical swords began to rain down to her.

In an ideal world, this would be the end of it. Diana would have won. Lyn would be found unconscious in the middle of broken floor cracked with magical swords. Diana would've saved Akko and her secret all in the same night and this would all be forgotten. Lyn would be expelled and her claims would be deemed as foolish in the act of extreme discrimination. Everything would go back to normal.

But the real world doesn't revolve around Diana's desires and well wishes and Diana could only freeze in the shocking truth of her harsh reality.

Diana watched, hope igniting in her heart as Lyn braced herself with the incoming impact. Lyn pulled her arms together, wrapping them around her chest as she doubled over with intense shrieks of laughter. At first, Diana thought the laughter came from disbelief, that Lyn was taken back that she was outplayed and decided to end her final thoughts in bitter, delirious giggles. It was only when rings of fire burst from the ground and enveloped Lyn in a fiery curtain of protection that Diana realised something went wrong and the laughter escaping Lyn's mouth became more much terrifying.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE I WAS WRONG! I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT IT WAS YOU ALONG!" Lyn howled before continuing her trail of intense cackles. Her eyes were wide and look of sanity in them was feeble. Her teeth were bare and the fire surrounded her only served to illuminate the madness even more. Around her, swords melted as they impacted the inferno curtain, shimmering away due to the intense heat. Underneath Diana's skin, her blood trembled and the rapid beat of her heart forced her to waver in the face of adversity. She knew... she figured it out. From one family spell gone wrong, Diana revealed the colours of her words.

It was a knee-jerk reaction. Diana took control of one the last few swords in the air and plunged it through the barrier of fire and towards Lyn's face. Lyn jerked to the side in an instinct but she did not fully miss the blade as a cut was created from under her right eye to her ear, even nicking the very edge. Diana gasped in horror at what she just did, never before has she done something like this, especially in a panic. Diana glanced at her arm, as her breathing became shallow and the sudden weight in her throat made it hard to swallow her fears and the guilt down.

"Oh Diana Cavendish," Lyn chuckled, her voice mocking and bitter as she touched the cut and observed the metallic glint of blood in her hand. Her voice was hollow, void of all laughter and charm as she cast a healing spell on herself and turned the new wound to a scar. "I take back all terrible things I said about you princess. You really are the brightest student in your year."

Lyn looked up and behind the madness of expression and exhausted fatigue in her smile, Diana saw clarity in those green eyes, she saw the mental cogs in her brain turning. She knew what was going to happen, she saw it too many times in her sleep, in the dark folds of her brain where she can picture a broken copy of herself with jagged lines of black. She knew what was coming, what it would feel like, how she thinks she would react to the scenario but none of those mental simulations lived up to what it was like in reality.

"After all," Lyn locked her eyes with Diana and grinned. "It takes a genius to hide their black words for this long from the entire school."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N- Okay so I am so sorry for this cliffhanger but before people get too annoyed. When I was writing this chapter, it got to like 12k? And rn it's not even done, close but not done yet so I had to split it and like this was a good spot. Also it like helped with the mood cause I didn't want to overwhelm people with the mood changes cause oh boy. Next chapter is gonna be fun cause we will get to a scene that I have been waiting for for a long fucking time. Take that what you will.
> 
> Anyways I hoped you liked the fight, fight scenes are not my best things to write but eh, I tried my best. I also tried to show that Lyn is a powerful witch in her own right but idk how that turned out. She did do a lot of things like create a large enough light to exist on it's own but still under her control and she did do the teleportation spell. She also multi-tasked whilst fighting Akko and keeping Diana out of it. Lyn was toying with her btw cause she did thought Diana was lesser than her for reasons. (hence why Diana tried her house spell to catch her off guard whilst she still underestimated her). I'm sure I raised a lot of questions but it will be mostly answered soon. I will see you all next week! Reviews are very much welcomed.


	15. Chapter 14~Revelations

The knowing silence is uncomfortable and heavy, like everything and everyone was looking at her. Diana doesn't speak, doesn't breathe and doesn't force her eyes away from Lyn. In her dreams, she imagined that fire would erupt from inside of her, that her mind would be fractured and her heart would implode. Instead, Diana felt hollow and empty like she doesn't really exist and that she was just a ghost in a different time. Maybe she's still in shock? That her mind, slow with battle fatigue, was not caught up in the calamity that was happening to her.

"Now this is the part where you break down, deny the truth and then slowly accept it and I bring you to justice," Lyn ordered. Her voice, usually so loud was distant and despite the clearness of her words, it was muffled in Diana's head.

Diana blinked and took a shaky inhale, she was quivering again. The impact of reality attacked her in trickles, like sand in an hourglass. She should give up, shouldn't she? Lyn already figured it out and it was clear that they are leagues away from being called even in terms of fighting, if she gave up now, maybe things would be easier? Maybe everyone's troubles will stop cause she's no longer around to curse them or taint their luck. Maybe she might have a chance to say sorry, maybe she might have the chance to say goodbye.

"Come on princess," Lyn demanded, a smug grin plastered all over her face. "Though the silence had already confessed enough, I need to hear you say it." Lyn took a step forward, the fire still burning behind her. "Tell me that you have the black words." She took another step forward. Diana didn't move. "Tell me how you cursed everyone around you and everything you held dear." Lyn extended her wand and brandished it at her. "Tell me how you tainted an innocent girl to the point where she would sacrifice herself for a curse like you."

The reference was enough to snap Diana's head from her dark thoughts. "Akko?" She asked, her voice was hoarse, the kind that came from long periods of silent tears.

Lyn scoffed as she rolled her eyes. "By the nines, you already gave her a nickname." Her posture sharpened to something dangerous as she glared at Diana. "Yes, I'm talking about Atsuko. Did you not realise how much that little curselover cares for you? How much she was willing to do?" Lyn continued talking, listing out the various examples of how much Diana ruined Akko and how explaining how far Diana influenced her but every word was constantly blocked out in Diana's head.

Diana was too busy in thought, her mental image kept switching between her various shared memories with Akko. She thought about the kindness of the pillow given in that library ages ago, the soft taste of her chocolates created with the deepest of care. She remembered the times where their hands intertwined and how surprised she was in the comfort of it all. Those were good times, amazing times even. They were times where she didn't feel like she was a cursed existence, a monstrous black word person destined for all things bad. Sure it was in the back of her head but it was quiet for her in those moments.

Diana then thought of everyone else, of her closest friends Hannah and Barbara and how much they care for her. There was an ache in her chest when she thought about how fiercely they wanted to protect her and how close she was to breaking and trusting them with the truth due to their unconditional love. Diana recalled her new found friendship with Amanda and her team, how in the face of hate they bonded together and protected each other. She remembered Amanda's little bedroom scheme, how Constanze created a beautiful party for them all and how Jasminka comforted her whilst Hannah and Barbara were out of commission.

It's only then Diana realised one thing. Whilst she believed it might be better for her to leave now and confess the colour of her words, for her friends who care about her, it won't be better for them. For their sake, for Hannah and Barbara sake, for the green and red team's sake, for Akko's sake and for those future moments with her where she acts like a normal person again, Diana needed to fight.

It was funny really when Diana thought about it after coming to this conclusion. It was funny that when it came to herself and her alone, Diana would probably run away or accept her fate. She would accept the bitter punishment that's just karma for a monster like her, for a black worded curse like her. But when it came to other people, when it came to someone like Akko... Diana can't find it in herself to give up, at least not when other people are at stake. It's some sort of morbid humour, where if she could she would do a self-pitying laugh at how little self-worth she had.

Diana never found herself to be a person to enjoy gallows humour but judging the circumstances where she was now, she guessed there is some leeway to be made.

Slowly, subtle enough that Lyn never caught in her monologue, Diana's expression and postured changed. Her worried and distant eyes became determined, and underneath the scared guise, they became sharper too. Her stance became loose and was ready to move if it was needed. Her grip on Akko's wand tightened.

"Hell," Lyn concluded with a slight chuckle. With silent words, Diana twirled the wand and above them, the sound of thunder gave an extremely muffled groan. "That pathetic witch even tried to fight  _me_  and if I wasn't focused on keeping you out of the fight I would've ended her there and then."

"Now," Lyn said, her voice cold as the smug grin melted to thin-lipped snarl. "I wasted enough time talking, are you going to admit that you're a monster or not princess?"

Diana answered her swiftly and used her storm cloud above them to rain Lyn down with a barrage of lightning. Lyn screamed in surprise as lightning struck her form, illuminating her in an electrified pulse before she and light in the room vanished, even the moonlight from the glass ceiling disappeared.

"I'm not surprised princess," Lyn growled in the darkness, her words were loud and vibrated across the room but it gave Diana a small piece of hope when her voice sounded so parched. "I had a feeling you would fight in the end, humour me though."

Her words ended with the sound of footsteps and Diana's eyes widened and in an instant, she created a neon blue sword made of pure light from her wand. The lights flashed on again, blinding Diana enough to cover her eyes. When she forced them to open in spite of the surprise, Diana saw a glimpse of Lyn coming her way with a snarl and blood on her lips. "Is this why you're always trying to help everyone?" Before Diana could answer, darkness covered them again and the sound of footsteps disappeared, replaced with the wind.

In a knee-jerk reaction, Diana raised her lightsaber above her head and wasn't at all surprised that neon green light collided it and the flares of cyan light highlighting the deathly intent on Lyn's face. "Cause you feel so bad that you're practically making everyone's life harder just by being here?" Diana gave Lyn nothing but a glare and a growl before she continued the momentum of the collision and forced Lyn's sabre down and scorch the land.

Lyn lifted her lightsaber and swung it past Diana's head. The lights flickered on once more. "Are you even aware of what you're doing to the school at large if you stay?" Diana ducked and tried to strike at the opening before Lyn blocked her. "Are you aware that you're the reason why we have magic shortages!?" Lyn's voice, though tired and hoarse continued to rage on in raw hatred and disgust.

Diana didn't answer, she just registered those questions and shoved them back into her head for another day as the light switched off once more. Right now she needed to win, she needed to put all her attention on the fight for her life, for any future she wants to spend with Akko and her friends unguarded and without fear. Lyn arced her lightsaber down at her in a diagonal angle but Diana moved back and parried Lyn off as she tried to follow through.

"Answer me, princess!"

The lights flashed on. This time it was less blinding but it jarred Diana enough to allow Lyn plunge her sabre to Diana's shoulder. To her surprise Diana didn't scream, she just gritted her teeth and pushed her back. "Is this why you're the deemed as the best witch in the school!?" As her muscles screamed, Diana returned the wand to its normality and cast a singular line of lightning between them as she ran back. Lyn halted as the lightning obstructed her and she looked at Diana with a snarl, returning her wand back to normal as well. "Cause you rely on the power of your fucking cursed words instead of actual hard work!?"

Diana didn't get far enough as the wind picked up once again and the world was once more a place of murky smoke and rough winds. Diana coughed into her fist and squinted her eyes and forced the wind to part for her with her magic, just in time to see several fireballs head in her direction.

"ARE YOU EVEN AWARE OF WHAT YOU ARE AND WHAT KIND OF MONSTER YOU CAN BECOME!?"

Diana shuddered at the volume as she made quick work of some of the fireballs, sending ice arrows to meet them halfway through and cancel them out but a few managed to get past her counter. Diana created a magical barrier as several of them got close and blocked a couple of them. Those she missed slipped through her defences and burnt through her clothes and seared a part of her arm. Diana screamed as the grip of her wand faltered causing the barrier to dissipate.

Lyn saw the opportunity and gave chase, following those fireballs with a tornado of arcane fire towards Diana. Diana hissed as she ran again, dodging the bullets of fire that the tornado spat out. With one hand, Diana cast a shield to protect her briefly as bullets rained down on her, the intense heat caused her to sweat. Diana looked up, seeing the cloud ran to the side as she dropped the barrier and forced the storm cloud to rain intense mystic hail which both cancelled out the bullets and the tornado. Steam rose from the ground, crowding Diana with enough time to breath.

"Fine!" Lyn snarled through the white and wispy steam, "If you won't confess your colours then I'll  _force_  you to show it!" Lyn raised her arm at Diana's direction and twirled her wand in complex gestures. " **Path of cinders!** "

Diana's eyes widened as she watched one by one, fiery pillars rose from the ground and burn with scarlet rage in her direction. By the time one pillar was erected another one, one more closer to her rose. In an instant Diana bolted, Lyn chanted behind her and when she glanced back her speed only increased in horror that the line of fiery death was following her every move. She ran serpentine style, moving left to right in a zigzag pattern and her heart beat thrice for every dull sound of a pillar rising behind her.

Flames licked at her heels, the scent of burnt hair wafted to her nose and the fatigue of the long day was starting to dull her much needed movement. By the time Diana finally turned around to face the inevitable she already accepted that she lost. She didn't know how to counter a spell as intense like that, even if she did does she have the energy to go through with it?

In her final act of defiance, Diana did the magical barrier one last time with her one good arm. Within a second, the fire enclosed her. Sweat poured from her brows and Diana gritted her teeth as she undertook all of the heated pressure of the advance spell. Eventually, Diana trembled and fell to her knees, and parts of her shoulder rested against the barrier where it stung with heat intensity, like having scalding hot water poured there.

At that moment Diana remembered her black words humanised, that little sickening voice of a child, laughing chaotically at her and how she mourned for her friends' anguish. She remembered the nightmares and herself in fragmented porcelain skin, where ichor and black smoke were crawling through the cracks and curled on the floor. In some twisted way, Diana found herself hearing its laughter and seeing black smoke rippling against her own pale skin.

She must be hallucinating, the heat must be getting to her now. Diana laughed at her own stupidity and closed her eyes. But she could hear the laughter clearer now like it was real and not from the mental place of white numbered walls and clocks continuously ticking. Now the ghostly touch of smoke and the way it made her skin shiver became more real too.

Diana opened her eyes and suddenly her world was covered with black smoke.

Diana jerked her head back, waving her good hand in front of her eyes to get the smoke away from it only to pause when she realised that she's still fine. Her eyes weren't stinging even when the smoke failed to be move. That's when Diana noticed something odd about the smoke. Usually black smoke are clouded fumes in various shades of dark grey, they are nothing but bodiless shapes till they separate and thin out. It's at that stage when the smoke begins to dance with itself, they deform to singular wisps that constantly overlap and spin till they do nothing but fade out of existence. The smoke Diana saw wasn't like that.

The smoke wasn't some bodiless clouds, they were all singular forms, each one with a thicker more prominent line before it branches off to thinner lines that fade out in the delicate style of a lone candle smoke. The colour was darker than normal, it was pitch black like abyss or the cold void of space. And like space, there are specks of white within the smoke that blink and go. It was as if there were universes and galaxies were riding along this cosmic lane built from the meagre ash and soot. Diana's eyes followed the trail of smoke and her world went to a standstill at the sight of her skin.

Ignoring the fact that it's visible and that her sleeves are nothing but tatters to add to the wreckage of the room, the skin is marred, tainted. From the tips of her fingers, to beyond the what's left of her sleeves on the shoulder are lines, scattered and fragmented. Some lines went from one end to the other, others stopped and started in jarring position, some lines crossed paths and others stay isolated. Some even looped around the now exposed black words that she owned, hidden in the inner upper arm of her left side. If Diana was being honest, it was like the lines were either trying to mimic the pattern of her bones or the veins under her skin and then mutilated them together to the point where they look like both jigsaw puzzles and scars.

She twisted her hand over in caution and swallowed the immense fear rising from her chest. The hand quivered, the fingers twitched and the smoke continued to wrap around them like a swaddle. Diana didn't care enough to notice, all she focused on was the nest of lines in the centre. It was off-putting, the lines acted like they were mimicking her palm lines but they were off by a centimetre or they just stopped randomly before starting again.

The most dreaded thing about all of this was the fact that all lines, whether they came from the arm or from the tip of the finger, were inked with the cursed colour of black and smoke rose from the lines like a forest of trees. It reminded Diana too much about the mirrored self, of the carbon copy with pale sickly skin and hollow black eyes. Even now she can still hear the words that made her froze in the climax of the battle.

" _This fight...our black words did this didn't it?"_

Diana shivered involuntarily at the memory as she stumbled upon herself to stand. She doesn't have time for another moment of hesitation, she doesn't even have the time to look at herself and figure out what is happening to her. All she needed to do was to do two things. One, find a way to counter Lyn's pillar of cinder spell and two, make sure-

Diana heard a gasp, louder than anything she ever heard, in a tone more conflicted than how she feels about herself. Diana winced as she stood up and stumbled, terrified at how the smoke slithering at her feet caught her by her arm and help her gain balance. Her breath trembled as she rose her head and looked up.

Through the fire burning around her and the purple wall of protection, Diana saw Lyn staring at her. Her eyes were wide and her lips were morphed into a horrified expression. Sometimes there was a flicker of a disbelieving smile like her head didn't really believe in what was in front of her, that Diana with the black smoke crawling over her fragmented skin was a hallucination.

Then, the trance broke with the sound of victorious shrills of laughter. "I knew it!" Lyn screamed, howling with laughter as she looked away. "I always had a feeling you were different Cavendish, but I put that away cause of your name and now, I know better. It was because of your colour of words." She turned back to Diana and grinned. "My grandmother will finally be proud of me now after I'm done with you."

" _ **No,"**_ Diana spoke, but it wasn't her voice. She didn't even move her lips. The word came out like a feral growl but in a harsh clarity that paused the beating of her own heart. Diana knew that voice. She heard it in her sleep, from a figure with cracked skin and a tainted smirk, when it spoke in a more childish but still chilling tone.

Lyn's victorious face broke. Her eyes focused in on Diana and despite the fire occasionally blocking her view, Diana saw the speck of genuine fear in her green eyes. "No," Lyn whispered like she saw a ghost. "You can't be at this stage already!" Her voice quivered with an intense fear Diana didn't understand, Lyn took a step back. "You're not even an adult!"

Diana didn't respond, she didn't even know what Lyn meant. But when she tried to speak, to question her, her voice became mute and the question remained choked in her throat. Instead, Diana walked forward, an act that entirely was out of her own control. Diana's legs were forced forward, through the barrier, through the flames. With every casual step towards Lyn, the magic around Diana waned, the smoke latched on to the pillars of fire and smothered them and a heavy invisible weight was pressed against the back of Diana's skull.

"NO!" Lyn screamed, finally out of her feared trance. "This is supposed to be my happy ending! I deserve it!" With that declaration, dozens of fireballs flew from the tip of Lyn's wand and dived straight to Diana. Diana's body still marched onwards and when the flames got too close, a smokey tendril lashed at it like a whip before curling around it and crushed its power. Both Lyn and Diana herself, still trapped in her own mind stared in horrified shock.

"People like you!" Lyn continued when she snapped herself out of it. "Curses like you don't win! You never win!" Her voice was hoarse and there were desperate tears in Lyn's eyes as she gritted her teeth and pointed her wand at Diana. Diana pointed her wand back. "PILLARS OF-"

" _ **Aeguil."**_

The incantation was nothing but a whisper but it acted like was a forbidden word chanted out loud, the weight it carried spread across every crevice and shadow of the room. It was a singular word, just one. But the way it was spoken, and the power it held was enough to humble Lyn to nothing but silence. Despite being trapped in her own head, unable to control her actions Diana still felt the heavy shift in the atmosphere, like something higher than her was also in the room.

Diana watched as the smoke that danced and weaved around her fractured hands shot out instead of the usual green light that would appear at the tip with the secret Cavendish spell. The singular lines of smoke conjugated into two serpent heads with sharps tongues and black holes for their beady eyes. They raced forward, often crossing paths but barely missing each other. Lyn took quick shallow breaths, her wide eyes quivered as she sent out erratic fire spells to try and counter one of the snakes.

It was all for naught, however, when one hit the left snake in sheer luck the snake ate it instead of disappearing before continuing on its path. Lyn shrieked as a rapid fire of spells shot out from the wand in fear. Still, whenever they collided with a snake, the power just got absorbed. Within seconds, the snakes coiled and wrapped themselves around Lyn and squeezed. Lyn groaned as the snakes forced her to drop her wand before continuing to constrict her of her oxygen.

Diana walked forward, her casual steps resounded in the room. The smoke as well, reeled Lyn closer till they met halfway. Above them, the storm cloud created one final roar before disappearing and the moonlight draped itself over Diana's figure as she stopped. The light Lyn artificially created in the beginning flickered which only amplified the deadly weight in the atmosphere. Diana leaned closer, a simple but tarnished smile, where black lines grew from the corners of her lips was on her face.

If Lyn wasn't muffled with the body of the snake, she would've screamed. She shuddered, however when Diana pressed her hand against her cheek. Lyn's scar under her eye shimmered as Diana's smoke covered finger trailed its mark, the scar vanishing as wisps of smoke touched it and healed it. Then with one final connection with Lyn's wide eyes, the inner voice used Diana one more time. " _ **Forgietan."**_  Diana recognised that ancient word that left her lips and the modernised version resounded in every chamber of her mind.

_Forget._

Lyn's consciousness, the flickering lights and the heavyweight on Diana's body vanished in a snap. All that was left was a terrified teenage girl, draped with black lines and smoke carrying the body of her enemy in the cover of darkness, where the edges of moonlight only dared to touch parts of her skin.

The world stood still. Then, all at once, Diana's senses rushed back to her and impacted her like a truck. She could feel the cold and weightless touch of smoke brushing against her skin, she could hear the shallow and quickened breaths of air, the bead of sweat and anxiety trickling down the side of her face. The smell of dying embers, of smoke, of blood, blinded her. The taste of fear, the dryness of her throat made it hard for Diana to digest everything that happened in the last 10 minutes.

Diana swallowed the silence in the air as she stared at Lyn with her closed eyes, quiet form and new forming scabs across her cheeks. Once more those wretched words boomed in her head.

_"This fight...our black words did this didn't it?"_

In a gut reaction, Diana dropped Lyn where she laid on the ground like a puppet with no string. To mirror her emotions, the smoke flayed around her, rising and shrinking like unstable flames. Diana looked down at her hand, at the broken black lines on her skin. The sound of rapid breathing became louder and louder as she watched the glitter in the black smoke reflect in the moonlight.

This can't be real. This was all a dream- a nightmare! This was nothing but a very, very realistic nightmare.

It was not a dream however, no matter how many times Diana opened and closed her eyes, no matter how many times she played the scene over and over again in her head, no matter how many times she rubbed her hands over her arms, furiously scrapping at the lines and the smoke to wipe it all away. This was real. Whatever she did, whatever happened to her with her black words was real.

Diana staggered back, the moonlight clung to the black lines scattered on her skin like a cage. The smoke continued to coil around her fingers, around Akko's wand in her hand. Diana stared aghast at the object in her hand, the smoke started to slither around it but they didn't get far till Diana threw the wand away from her, away from whatever she is. The wand crashed into the glass wall, bounced off it before screeched into the ruined concrete, a new scar on the metallic tip.

Her vision blurred with the stinging of tears and the shallow panicked breaths leaving her lined lips. Her head became weightless, lighter and it forced Diana down to the ground when she couldn't find the strength to stay standing.

"Diana?"

Her name came out in a whisper but in a room where her panicked breathing was the only sound, it echoed. The name was spoken with such care and concern, thick with familiarity. Diana's head jerked up and the rhythm of her heart beat faster once more. Diana's eyes widened and her expression froze like a deer in the headlights when she saw no one else but Akko Kagari looking at her. The glow from her wand emphasizing her fearful eyes shocked open mouth and the way her hands gripped her wand.

Diana looked up at the clock and startled herself with the hollow laugh rising up in her throat. It all made sense now, the clock read 12:32 am. It was a new day, it was a Saturday. The party and everything that spiralled downwards was Friday's punishment. This was the weekend's misery, this was the climax, the peak of each year's pain and by the nine it outdone itself this year. The delirious laughter echoed in the room before it broke down, morphing into cries of anguish. Diana's throat went dry.

In her head, memories of the past surrounded her, words and slurs and everything she heard about people like her swarmed her. Monster, plague spawn, Curse, Rattus, plague of all witches. Every single self-tragedy, every single thing she caused with her words, every heartache and pain she caused around her, lunged at her all in the same time.

_Diana clenched her eyes as the rolling paused followed by a sharp gasp. Somehow she felt that it would lessen the pain as an onslaught of words attacked her. "You plague spawn!" One of them screamed as they threw her to the ground before they ran. The heels of their feet kicked back dust causing Diana to curl her body like a cocoon. Her body aches but nothing hurts more than the tears stinging the cut on her face._

**Plague spawn**

" _I'm just curious, why do wish to stay in a community who hates you as much as they fear you?" Andrew asked but she can hear the mockery in his voice that was masked by his charade of concern. "I understand that the whole magic ordeal is a bit creepy but you would never find someone who would ever be nice to you within there. At least not after the incidents." Her heart twisted against itself, her eyes forced to close as she walks faster. The ugly truth of his words hitting her more than the comments from other witches._

**Rattus**

" _I know that Diana is not safe to be around. I understand that you may be blinded by a mother's love but can't stay blind to the curse of her words and its impact on others." His words shattered her heart, breaking it so much that its fragments became thorns on her body. It made felt so much worse than slurs thrown across the room to her by strangers._

**Killer**

_Barbara's skin was deathly pale, even paler than Diana's own skin tone. Her lips were kissed with the hints of midnight blue and if you touch her, she was ice. She did not move, her chest did not rise or fall. The only proof of her living was the silent beat of her heart muffled under the heavy fake death curse placed upon her. That and how her hand was not limp but clenched so tightly to Hannah's hand, the one now decorated with light burns and tongues of flames branded on her fingertips._

**Devil's daughter**

_But never has Diana seen Amanda be so broken… The words "I'm sorry" repeat again and again like a begging mantra for pardon, the cycle doesn't end even when Akko climbs over and pulls Amanda up, even when Jasminka steals her away to hold her close and reassurance that she didn't cause this at all._

**Monster**

_"Why are you doing this?" Diana asks, her face turned away from the screen as black words cover the faces and consume them all. "Why do you intend to hurt other people? My friends!?" She needs to know, even though she will never understand. Her heart was heavy and her legs are trembling from the weight it carries, she had an inkling that she did this to her friends but now she knows it's the truth. She curses her existence. "Tell me!" She yells, head snapping to the monster inside her, bitter tears running down her cheeks as she stares at it._

_There's a silence, one that Diana has no time for as the reflection tilts her head confused. "Isn't that a question you should ask yourself, Diana?"_

**Villain**

_"The plague spawn," Lyn spat in disgust. "The rattus," she continued as she started to stalk towards the crowd, the fear from them growing immensely as she did. "The curse of all witches."_

_Each slur and names fired from Lyn's mouth made Diana shiver and squirm as she looked away, the words were bullets being shot through her heart. Even more when Lyn explained the colour of her words, how they kill their ultimate lover with a single word, how they hurt the people around them, even if they never meant to. It's this sort of exposure that makes Diana forget about the people who still love her, who see her differently. It's these moments that Diana is reminded that in spite of trying to do so much good to the world that she is just another monster._

**Curse**

_Akko was beaten to unconsciousness. One eye was swollen with a purple colouring, her iconic ponytail was gone and was hidden in the mess of brown locks. Her leather jacket and beautiful red dress she wore for the party was tattered at the seams. Her arms and legs were marred with fresh cuts and bruises and the scars of rose vines where they entangled her limbs and forced her to still._

The memories continued to lash, scream and taunt at her. They kept appearing again and again, showing the weight of what she was, of what she has done to those she cared about. It made Diana curl up in a ball, the pure fear for what she was wrecking herself as she drowned herself in heart-wrenching sobs of confusion, hurt and sorrow.

Unknowingly to Diana, the smoke began to rise and morph to a pillar of wind. It spun around her and wrapped around her like snakes. The moonlight flickered against the smoke and the shadows lingering in the corners fluctuated. Akko's eyes never left Diana's figure, there was fear in those crimson orbs but not because of Diana, but for Diana.

In spite of the smoke covering her appearance and acting as a barrier for Diana, Akko could see the pain she was in, the way her scarred hands gripped and pushed her hair, the way she scrunched her eyes as water flowed from them like waterfalls. So despite everything, despite logic and the lingering pain, Akko forced herself forward like Diana forced herself forward for her hours ago in the murky fog.

"Diana!" Akko screamed, her voice breaking at the sheer volume she made. "Diana!" She repeated again and again. Akko screamed her name like it was the last thing on earth, she said it with such raw emotion with every step she took forward, with every ache to her chest. She knew, in another time she would be scolded by Diana for acting like this but Akko knew that if she wanted that time to happen, she needed to act now. Diana needed someone right now and Akko doesn't know if she could help but right now that person Diana needed was her.

Diana couldn't hear her, at least at first. After every repetition of her name, the memories and the monsters in her head shrunk. They became more sullen and muffled whilst Akko's voice became clearer and clearer. By the time Akko reached the edge of the smoking barrier, the moon illuminating her like the angel she was and Diana was sitting up, staring in her general direction. Though there was a heavy ache in her throat and red puffy circles in her eyes the tears were gone. There was a silence between them, whether it was one of peace or one before a storm, Diana couldn't tell.

Akko didn't waver as she paused, a foot away from the smoking barricade, she clutched the side of her body firmly and she swallowed down the worry moving in her stomach. She peered through the smoke, of the glittering stars in wispy dark clouds and her heart shattered itself. Diana looked so scared, the way she buried one of her arms against her chest and cradled it, the way she tried so hard to hide the lines on her skin and the smoke drifting from it. She had no idea what caused all of this but the sight was a huge difference from what she saw Diana before and it pained her to see her so fearful.

"Diana…" Akko said softly, her lips trembling as silent tears left the corners of her eyes. She didn't want Diana to get hurt this way, if she had known that Diana would end up like this, she wouldn't have tried to save her, or at least trust a teacher to do it instead.

"Akko..." Diana whispered as she took one long breath of air. Smoke continued to curl around her, brushing against her knees as she pulled them closer to her body. Diana struggled to meet Akko's eyes in fear of seeing judgement or scorn in them but when they finally connected Diana heard something from the back of her mind. It came like a feral snarl, screaming like a monster and it tunnelled itself to the front of Diana's head before she could have a clear view of the kind concern in Akko's eyes.

" _ **ARE YOU EVEN AWARE OF WHAT YOU ARE AND WHAT KIND OF MONSTER YOU CAN BECOME!?"**_

Lyn's raging and monstrous voice echoed in her head as Diana scrambled backwards and the soft calm moment between the two girls shattered. Diana crashed into the coiled trunk of the Jennifer tree and she turned her face away from Akko, self-conscious of the black lines erupting from the corner of her lips and the cuts on her cheeks. She wondered if this was what Lyn meant, to be shrouded in smoke, where with a single thought from something unknown she can be used like a puppet on a string to hurt others.

"Stay away Akko!" Diana screamed, the smoke spiralling out of control once more. Akko opened her mouth to retaliate but Diana shook her head and beat her to it. "I could hurt you-" Diana turned her head further in shame as the flashback of Akko's unconscious body burrowed its way to the front of her mind. "I already hurt you…" Diana choked back on a sob as she turned back to Akko, misunderstanding Akko's open mouth and wide tearful eyes with horror and fear. "So please, stay away so that I don't hurt you again."

"Diana," Akko whispered as she tried to move closer, to reassure her that this wasn't the case. She couldn't get far as the smoke transformed into something more solid and blocked Akko's path and view. "Please, let me through!" Akko called as she banged the barrier with her fist. "You're not going to hurt me!"

"Please," Diana begged, desperation dripping from her words. Her breathing quickened and got more shallow with every breath. She was forced to stop as a sudden pain drilled into her head forcing her to open her eyes. When Diana looked down, she wasn't surprised to see her smoking arms shivering in the dim light. The same smoke that protected Akko from her was the same one that blocked her from most of the moon, a fitting environment considering what just happened. After all, she was a curse, she needed to be left alone for the safety of others. The banging on the wall stopped and in the small time of peace Diana took a deep breath and continued.

"Please just listen to me Akko, I- " Diana cut herself off as another memory forced its way to the front of her brain and made her tremble in the sight of fire, a magical sword and line of blood under Lyn's eye. Diana swallowed, her breath trembled. "I caused this mess." Diana paused again as she shut her eyes, tears dripping through the corner and slipped through the smoke of her skin. "I- I am responsible for this list of casualties tonight, I don't want-" Diana took another breath and held herself closer, trying desperately to hold herself together as her heartstrings collapsed one by one. "I don't want you to be on there a second time."

"But this isn't your fault Diana!" Akko assured voice muffled through the barrier between them and Diana quietly laughed at Akko and her naivety. Akko was merely oblivious to the truth, a fact that made Diana shake her head as Akko continued, banging on the smoke as usual. "Whatever this is, it isn't your fault and I know for a fact you're not someone who would hurt people."

"You don't know anything about me," Diana murmured to herself bitterly, unaware that it was loud enough for Akko to hear on the other side. She had a feeling Akko did hear once the banging stopped and didn't continue for a solid five minutes. Guilt crept into her heart again as Diana rubbed the tears from her eyes with the palm of her hand before it continued on its path through her messy hair. "By the nines I'm pathetic," Diana said to herself with quiet deathly laughter, making sure that it was muttered under her breath this time.

It was there an idea came to Diana's head. It was a stupid, reckless idea, one that Diana would deny in any other situation par the one today. The problem was that right now, Diana was irrational, she was distraught and overwhelmed with everything that happened to her and everything that could happen to her. She did not care about the consequences, she did not care that she would change everything. Which explained why Diana stood up when her legs were ready to buckle on her due to physical and mental fatigue, with a clear intent in her mind.

She was going to tell Akko the truth. She was going to tell her that she has black words.

Diana leaned against the Jenefier tree, reason coming back to her in small trickles but in pace not fast enough to deter her. Deep exhales left Diana's lips as she swallowed logic down her throat, her eyes not at all leaving Akko's direction. She took a glimpse of her words, of the black lines looping around it like it was the key clue to a puzzle or an important note of annotation. Diana chuckled darkly as her finger traced the scratchy font, sending a shiver down her spine. It was amazing how a sentence of as little as three words can cause so much damage.

With one final exhale, Diana pushed her arm against her chest, hiding the simple sentence away from any possible view before moving the smoke away as if she was splitting the sea.

Diana hesitated as she saw Akko stare at her the moment the wall split. An ache of pain stabbed Diana in the chest as she looked at Akko. Akko was crying or did cry. The tears were gone now but the stains on her cheeks still lingered and the arm that Akko rose, probably ready to bang on a now non-existent wall, fell to her side with the hand clenched in a fist. Diana's figure trembled as guilt began to weigh on her shoulders before she closed her eyes and spoke, her voice hollow but filled with clarity and emotion.

"I have black words Akko."

It was a cold silence, one that Diana expected. Thousands of quiet conversations and words passed between them but Diana didn't hear a single one. Diana felt a small weight along the lines of her eyes and then the delicate drop of wetness on her skin. It surprised her that there were still tears ready to be shed.

When she opened her eyes, more tears, more stains fell on her arms and cheeks and Diana's breathing trembled. The moonlight crashed over her, highlighting the black lines scattered across her skin, illuminating the glimpse of her words that she exposed to the world when Diana moved her arm to stare at it.

"I told you before," Diana laughed with a bit of a croak, her voice breaking with every syllable. "I warned you before, in the library, all of those days ago. Monsters like me are a curse in society and I said you should run from them if you ever met one."

Diana paused, waiting for a response. When there was silence, she took a heavy sigh and continued, her voice quickly became undone, morphing into indescribable volumes of anguish. Even standing, the infamous Diana Cavendish turned herself smaller, cradling herself as she bowed her head in shame and submission. She didn't dare look at Akko's eyes, both out of shame of herself and fear for her reaction.

"This is who I am Akko," she confessed with a slight whimper. "This is the real me and I- I'm so sorry for everything." The plan was to end it there, but now that she said it Diana found herself unable to end the needed apology in such a broad term. "I'm sorry for the mess I made," She continued, her body shaking in the intensity of her hatred, of her shame, of her guilt.

"I'm sorry for hurting you. I'm sorry for existing," Diana fell to the ground, her legs buckling as the world around her fell to silence, to the point where she couldn't hear the sound of footsteps. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry I'm sorr-"

Diana fell to silence as a heavy yet familiar weight was pressed against her body whilst two arms hung around her neck. It's only when the texture of hair brushed against her cheeks Diana realised what was happening. Akko was hugging her. Akko was here, on the ground, on her knees and she was hugging her in a tight embrace. Diana's mind froze and the smoke around her became static to mirror the confused and frozen state. It's there, Diana became acutely aware of the dampness of her shoulder and the way Akko's body shook every now and then.

"Please…." Akko whimpered after a second of silence, and whatever words Diana could've said died at how desperate and pleading Akko's voice sounded. "Don't call yourself a monster cause you're not and I know you're not!" Akko buried herself more into Diana's shoulder and Diana could feel her hands cling to the burnt patches of fabric on her back. "And don't say sorry for existing!" Akko buried her tears on Diana's shoulder with a murmur. "I like it when you exist."

Diana remained silent. Caught off guard by Akko's response in both words and actions. She just stayed motionless as Akko held her tighter with a grip that never threatened to leave. The cold breeze in the air made Diana shiver from all the tears she cried but she couldn't tell if the current ones were tears from anguish or from bafflement on unanswered questions.

How long has it been someone hugged her like this? How long has it been since she was in the receiving end of such an embrace, where one couldn't hide the genuine care and concern, where it was so warm it made Diana forget where she was. The answer was too long, so long that she had no idea how to speak, let alone act.

Not to mention the words Akko said, how long has it been since someone told her something like that? And meant it so genuinely? Even if Diana doesn't believe in those words, or at least find it extremely hard to, it was nice hearing it spoken out loud to her. There was some magic to it, like somewhere deep inside her, buried under years of knowledge and self-hate, a small fragile shard of her soul wanted to believe in it.

"Also don't blame this all on yourself either," Akko continued. "I don't know much about having black words apart from what I learnt from the old books but they're wrong! They're wrong about you like they're wrong with Chariot and her magic! You're not a curse Diana and you're not a monster!"

"But…" Diana said eventually, her brain in another panic as a fierce conflict risen inside herself. She looked down at her arms, realising that she hasn't even given Akko a hug in return due to her own internal turmoil. "I caused this," Diana declared, though it was mainly at herself reminding her of what she was, and what she has done. "Black words, they reek with bad luck and misfortune and they- I hurt the people close to me." With that simple reminder, Diana grabbed Akko's shoulders and tried to push Akko away from her but was caught off by Akko's stubbornness on hugging her. "I- I am a bad person Akko!"

"NO, YOU'RE NOT DIANA!" Akko screamed in defiance as she stopped hugging Diana to grab her hands to stop them trying to separate them. Diana blinked and stopped moving, startled by the sheer volume and raw emotion of Akko's words and the fact that their fingers interlocked so easily. "AND IF YOU SAY SOMETHING LIKE THAT AGAIN," Akko continued, voice loud and absolute as ever. "I- I… I'LL DO SOMETHING!"

Silence fell between them. Akko took deep breaths to control herself before she looked up at Diana, tear tracks over her face and red puffiness circling her eyes. There was a fire in those red irises Diana noticed in their short distance, where they were nothing but inches apart. It shocked Diana though that those fires burned with anger and sadness but not a single flame burnt with hatred.

"No one is born bad Diana," Akko said softly with a sigh, there was a tired smile on her face and somehow that was enough to calm Diana, just enough for the smoke around them to settle. "Just because a lot of people, a lot of strangers tell you're bad doesn't mean you are inside." Akko leaned forward, pausing only when Diana moved her head back a bit when they became too close for comfort. Then, with the softest touch, Diana ever felt, Akko let go of her hand and brushed the tears away faintly from her cheeks, speaking in an equally soft and gentle whisper. "Just because you have black words doesn't mean you hurt people, it doesn't mean you're a monster or a curse or anything like that."

Diana shivered under the warm touch, unsure what to do in this scenario, in all of her dreams and nightmares the idea of being comforted this way never crossed her mind and that fact made it hard for her to keep their eye contact. In the end, Diana pushed Akko's hand away and pressed her arm against her chest, the words on her skin burning through the fabric and heart as she looked to the ground in shame.

"I…. I almost killed Lyn today," Diana confessed, bile rising inside of her when she thought about that moment, about the fire and the blood and the deadly intent she harboured. On her skin, the remaining lingers of smoke on her arms, the one with sizes of willow wisps flickered. "I missed but had she not move her head, there would be a sword impaling her eye instead of a healed scar under it."

"But you healed her right?" Akko asked as she squeezed Diana's hand in reassurance.

"I believe so. But-"

"Then its fine," Akko said with absolute clarity causing Diana to look up and blink at Akko. Akko blinked back, before going into a stumbled ramble of words, an embarrassed tint on her cheeks. "I mean it's not fine but, you didn't do it because you hated her did you? You did it out self-defence and you feel guilty about it, bad people don't do this sort of thing." Diana was about to speak again, but Akko beat her by removing her school cloak and placed it over Diana's arm rendering Diana once more into stillness.

Once again, Akko kept on her surprising her, she didn't even care to glance at her cursed words. An action that moved Diana to her core, inflecting a strange emotion that Diana never felt before. She looked back at Akko, intense gratitude rising in her dry throat but Akko wasn't paying attention to her, she was too busy covering up the arm, to give Diana a privacy she didn't know she deserved.

"You're a good person Diana," Akko continued as she worked, not even caring about the last wisps of smoke that brushed her fingers or the jarring sight of the black lines across Diana's pale skin. Then, she looked up at Diana with the kindest and biggest smile Diana ever saw, one that soothed Diana's worries and made her heart swell with warmth. "Whatever happened today, whatever happened in the past doesn't cancel all those moments where you helped someone, protected someone."

"I don't, I can't believe this," Diana laughed as she glanced at her hidden arm and back at Akko, in the corner of her eye she noticed that there was no smoke drifting from the lines of her tainted, lined arm. A part of Diana believed this to be a dream, a beautiful but cruel dream to part when she would wake up, probably in the hands of Lyn. "I wish could believe this."

"Why not?"

"It's too simple," Diana laughed, shaking her head before she looked back at Akko, not surprised at her surprised and baffled expression. "It's too kind, I don't deserve this."

"But Diana you do!" Akko brought Diana into a sudden hug, one that Diana was prepared for, one where she actually returned, even if it was hesitant and feeble. "You're allowed to have good things, you're allowed to be treated kindly and be happy and after tonight you deserve everything and I don't know if I would be enough-"

"You're enough, believe me," Diana interrupted, surprised at herself for her words and the genuineness of it. "This is more than I could ever ask for or ever deserve."

"But I'm never going to leave you, ever!"

The words hitting Diana like a truck and her body broke as emotions, so long forgotten emerged once more inside her. It was only after seconds of silence, Diana registered it as relief and safety. How long has it been since she felt like this? To feel so vulnerable yet safe in the arms of another? Diana didn't dare pursue the thought, she filed it away for another day, another time to break down and register the absence in her life.

"Akko-" Diana began once she got a hold of her mental bearings but by the time the name was said, Akko held her tighter, promising to never let her go and continued to speak.

"Tonight was horrible, a lot of things happened and maybe a lot of things will happen in the future but I'm not leaving you. What I said yesterday, in the classroom, that is still true: I don't want them to hurt you and what you told me about your words proved that you don't deserve to go through any of this, especially alone… so I won't leave you alone to deal with the pain again."

Before she knew it, Diana was crying again. This time, however, she knew which tears were falling. It was the silent tears of joy, relief and happiness. It was the ones she never thought she would shed, where she would be in a moment of peace and acceptance for herself. These were tears of safety, of emotions that she carried for decades in being alone that she's allowed to finally share. By the nine she never thought crying could remove such weight.

Diana hugged Akko closer, burying her head in the locks of her brown hair, she didn't want to Akko to hear her crying and comfort her, she already did so much for her in this one night alone. "I could hurt you again," Diana reasoned, ignoring how muffled her voice sounded and how pathetic the last ditch effort to remind Akko who she was and what she could do.

"You could but I know you won't," answered Akko easily with a hint of a laugh.

The response made Diana smile into Akko's shirt and her eyes glanced at the now covered up arm. The smile faltered to a slight grimace. "This doesn't change the fact that I have black words."

"I don't care about your black words, you're still a good person, you're still a great friend, you're still someone who I care about."

Diana laughed more, her smile back on her face, tears streaming down her eyes as she held Akko closer. Unknowingly to her, the black lines scattered across her face began to shrink and fade. "Hey, Akko?"

"Hmm?"

Diana paused as she pressed her cheek on Akko's shoulder so that Akko could fully hear her. A dull sense of comfort moved around her as she could hear Akko's easy breathing whilst watching the lines on her exposed arm fade back into the skin. "I'm really happy I didn't lose you."

"Hey Diana," Akko said after a long, comforting silence.

"Yes, Akko?"

Akko moved her head back and before Diana had a chance to question her, Akko pressed her lips tenderly on Diana's forehead with a soft smile, "Even if you're the smartest witch in the school you're an idiot for thinking I would leave you."

Diana smiled to herself, giggling as fatigue began to overwhelm her. Her giggles turned into a yawn as a familiar yet unfamiliar sensation wormed itself into her heart and warmed her cheeks. It was feeling she hasn't felt in a long time, in any other time, she might be cautious and apprehensive but now that the tiredness was settling in after all the mood swings and internal debates and interrogation, Diana welcomed it like an old friend.

"I know and I'm glad." Diana yawned once more, her eyelids growing heavy as the magical exhaustion caught up to her with the last of the black lines fading. The last thing Diana saw was Akko's smile and face, shimmering in the moonlight like an angel, it's warmth and beauty overwhelming her as Diana fell forward to Akko's arm fell to a long overdue state of unconsciousness.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N; It's amazing how I waited to write that last scene for over a year and then when I came to write it I went across all the fucking mental barriers and writer's block. I hope it was good enough though cause I really wanted to make someone cry so if I didn't cause that then I am ashamed of myself as an angst writer lmao.
> 
> Also before anyone says anything, Akko did not see Diana's words, she was more focused on Diana herself then her black words, plus it's in like an obscure place. It's only three words after all and it's like hidden in the upper inner part of her left arm. Oh yeah if anyone was wondering how the fuck Diana managed to stay up, it was the black words.
> 
> Also next chapter is the end of the arc, might take a bit more than a week to update, but not longer than two weeks, like I said this chapter ending kept on being rewritten and school has began again. Also reminder, I will tell you the updating plans for this fic and other long fics in next chapter's A/N so keep a look out for that. Anyways, I hoped you enjoyed this, comments are very much appreciated for this chapter and I'll see you all soon, hopefully in a week. (please tell me if you cried lmao, don't need to if you don't want to btw


	16. Chapter 15~ Answers and Questions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Read bottom AN it is important, anyways enjoy!

Diana didn't wake up to the sterile, white walls of the infirmary as she expected. She found herself staring at a familiar ceiling before looking left to see a very familiar bookshelf that also acted as a barrier. In took her a few seconds of confused blinking before she sat up and confirmed the bizarre thought in her head. She was in her room. Why she woke up here opposed to an infirmary she had no idea. Regardless, this was really a bad medical practice and she thought that the nurse knew better.

Carefully, she got out of her bed, even more confused on why she was in her uniform of all things, a uniform that had not been ruined or torn apart. An uneasy feeling settled in her lungs and stomach as she forced herself to calm down when she reached for her wand but only touched air again. It then filled her stomach with spiders of anxiety that crawled between the structure of her bones when Diana couldn't find it anywhere in the room. She swore she left it here on the night of the party, it was the main reason why she struggled so much that night.

The breath Diana exhaled next quivered as much as her legs did as she grabbed one of the books to act as some possible attempt as a weapon. Last time she was without her wand, nightmares beyond her thinking became reality, she wasn't going to through something like that again, she learnt her mistake. There were many questions swirling and exploding in her mind like fireworks and she only hoped that on the other side of the room there would be an answer. Yet when Diana appeared from behind her bookshelf barrier, the fear and anxiety building up in her vanished with a single glimpse and with every silent shocked blink, more questions bloomed in her head.

The room was both her room and not her room. It was so familiar yet extraordinarily different. Where Hannah and Barbara's beds were before, rows and rows of bookshelves draped with cloth and decorated with trinkets and tomes filled the space. Piles of books lined the walls, often leaning against each other and dark navy wood from the shelves. The glass balcony door and the balcony itself vanished. It was replaced by two armchairs coloured with shades of blue, a small wooden table and a circular window that reminded Diana of the one in Ursula's tower. From a single glance, Diana could see a constellation on the night sky and with a longer gleam, she could tell it was the Phoenix constellation.

"Oh good you're awake, I was wondering how long it would take." A voice spoke, breaking Diana's train of thought. A haunting chill ran down Diana's spine as she shivered, goosebumps and tingles dancing over her arms as she turned her gaze to the voice and whatever words she was going to say died in her throat and her tongue went numb.

In front of her, right in the middle of the room where the green couches would be was a desk of dark Cheshire wood, cluttered with books and puddles of stained ink. The floor was littered with piles of paper and scattered scribbles, of scrunched up notes and opened books written in a language Diana didn't care to translate.

On the mahogany chair, behind the desk was a girl, illuminated by a light that came from no chandelier or candle. Her hair was long and in waves, coloured with a dull blonde and strips of faded green. Her skin was porcelain white and the flicker of dark ocean blue eyes in her direction made Diana freeze. She was familiar but from where Diana didn't know and a part of her didn't want to know.

The girl lifted her head and the taunting smirk on her face cause Diana to recoil. She was so familiar and it stung Diana when she couldn't remember how. Was this herself? Was this someone seen passing in faded photos and ancient portraits? Or was this the voice in her head… the child who mocked her and ridiculed her by acting nothing more than a cracked carbon copy. No, it couldn't be, the girl in front of her looked more human than that inner monster would ever be.

With a startling laugh, like she heard Diana's thoughts, the girl tossed her head back and her grip on the quill fell in her hand dropped causing it to clatter on the floor. The sound only made Diana's stomach turn, her heart beating vigorously like the person in front of her was a predator instead of a human.

"You have no idea who I am, do you, Diana?" Her voice was more posh, sleek with a refined tune and eerily like Diana. Diana caught the stranger's intense gaze and watched as her ocean eyes turned darker, morphing into the shade of the night sky. The realisation, the recognition came with a click of the hand and the colour on Diana's face left as she pointed an accusing finger at the stranger- no monster. It was no wonder why her body reacted the way it did upon first sight.

" _You,_ " Diana gasped after struggling to find the strength to speak, her tongue too tied up in the appearance, her mind overwhelming at the stark change of the room and the figure itself after the last time she saw them. The demon, the voice in her head had the audacity to smile and bow like they were an actor to be praised on a stage. Diana didn't understand why everything was this, why the room they were in wasn't pure white lined clocks and numbers. Why wasn't their skin cracked and why wasn't smoke and black tar clawing up their legs. Her best guess was that this was a trap, a mind game to torture her since Diana's own misery on Friday and Saturday wasn't enough to satisfy them.

Once again, the expression on the monster's voice shifted and the sunny smirk morphed to a scowl and the carbon copy crossed their arms with a glare. "Oh stop putting your paranoia in a twist Cavendish, I'm too tired to even think about pulling that facade right now."

The word facade rang alarm bells in her head and Diana's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "I beg your pardon?" Diana asked, both confused and somewhat insulted as she raised the book in her hand higher, ready to defend herself in case something happened.

" _Facade,_ " The carbon copy repeated with an eye roll and a sigh, a humane feat Diana didn't know was possible for the likes of them. Before Diana could say anything, the carbon copy rose a hand over their face like they were pulling a trick and lifting a mask. With a single motion, black cracks, the same kind that Diana recognised on her arms sprouted across their face, growing like gnarled tree branches from the eyes and corners of the lip.

" _A deceptive outward appearance_ ," Their voice was childish and the laugh was the high pitch poisonous one that Diana heard too many times. Their face became tainted and creepy with the return of the black hollow eyes. They held that pose for a couple seconds, just long enough to imprint itself in Diana's head to haunt her in her sleep and Diana took a step back in fear. Then with a quiet scoff, they brought their hand down over the face and the normal skin and blue eyes returned just as quickly as they disappeared.

There were so many things that unnerved Diana right now, her eyes didn't dare look away from the person in front of her, her brain overwhelmed in seeing them in a completely different light and perspective. What in the nine's name was happening? Why was that horrific look that Diana was accustomed to over the years nothing but a facade? Why was the room they were in like her room and not a grand chamber of clocks and piles of past mistakes? Instead of all of them and many more, Diana asked one single question, her body straightening itself to give herself strength.

"How in the nine's name are you able to read my mind?"

The figure smirked, their eyes wandering up and done Diana's body like they were judging her. "Always the smart one aren't you?" Before Diana could question them, they got off their chair and moved to the two armchairs near the window. As they walked they waved their hand, black glittering smoke flowed like water from their fingertips and landed on the table.

Like Friday the smoke created a cyclone of dust and smoke before dissipating within seconds, leaving behind only a simple tea tray and two cups. The sight dumbfounded Diana to the core, her mind reeling at the sight as small flashes of when she couldn't control her body pulsed in the forefront of her mind. Only one thought remained constant as her mind was torn between staring at the tea tray and the recent memories: This figure was a monster.

"Tea?" The figure asked, jolting Diana out of her thinking. When she looked up at the carbon copy they were already sitting down on a chair setting things up. "I have Earl Grey or lemon. Also, call me Dia by the way, makes things a bit easier and I don't like being called 'the figure'," Dia added with a hint of a laugh.

Diana blinked, startled by the sudden hospitality before narrowing her eyes at the not so hidden deflection. "I don't have time for tea, I want answers. How are you able to read my mind,  _Dia?_ " Diana spat the name like a slur, borrowing from Lyn in hopes it rattled them as much as it rattled her. Whether she worked in that endeavour she couldn't tell, Dia's expression was void and hard to read with that simple smile on their face.

"Well," Dia sighed as they glanced up at Diana. "I don't think that I have that flavour so I guess earl grey would do," Dia joked, placing two tea bags into two different mugs before looking up again. "Besides you always loved earl grey ever since you were six and your mother made it for you."

The mere mention of her mother Diana's blood, once boiling with anger and frustration froze and her skin turned pale. Numerous of memories flashed in her head like carriages of a bullet train and there was a ghost of a whisper from a time long dead. Then when the memories and the emotions connected to them passed, Diana narrowed her eyes and the worry on her lips transformed to an angry scowl and a snarl famished for answers. "How in the nines name do you know that?!"

Dia paid their counterpart no mind as they calmly gestured to her to take the opposite seat. "Ever so impatient," They tutted like Diana was a child in trouble, an action that fanned the angry flames under Diana's skin. "I recommend you sit down. I don't want to save you again in such a short notice."

Diana scoffed at the declaration but reluctantly sat down opposite them but ignored the cup of earl grey that Dia moved forward across the table to her. "Well?" Diana asked, tired of tapping her fingers against the book she placed on her armrest for the last minute as she watched Dia do nothing but tenderly sip their tea. "Answer my question."

"Answer mine first," Dia said instead as they put their cup. Diana baulked at her, her eyes wide with frustration and anger.

"Excuse me?!"

"What do I think I am?" Dia continued, ignoring Diana's justified but outrageous reaction. Diana was about to say something back, tired from all the confusion and deflection but the words died in her throat as the sudden shift of the room and the atmosphere began to weigh on her, the question echoing in her head.

Diana sighed as she leaned back in her chair, her fingers pressing to her forehead to massage a growing headache there. "I have no idea what you are," Diana admitted, surprised at herself for the honesty of it and it seemed that Dia was too when Diana looked at them. Diana's eyes sharpened as she sat up. "I have no idea what you are but I know you are nothing but a monster, you are to blame for everything that has happened to me and to my friends, you thrive in our agony and whilst I don't understand why you do what you do that what sort of mental hell you are I wish I never met you."

Just like that, the surprised look on Dia's face shifted to knowing laughter and amusement, like they were part of an inside joke. "A valid response, considering how I acted," They grinned and the smile on their face unnerved Diana the longer she looked. "But if that helps you sleep at night then sure Cavendish, make me your monster. " Dia poured themselves another cup of earl grey tea and sighed as the fragrance wafted up their nose. "In reality, however, I am something that shouldn't have happened yet according to what the books said and what Lyn implied."

Diana leaned closer, eyes widening at the response. Dia caught this and smirked more as they took a long agonising sip. "I have been with you for a long time Diana, you are aware of me every time I had to act, you are aware of me every year around this time." The implication floored Diana as her mouth hung open with shock, she knew what they meant and she shook her head in a small attempt to deny it to herself.

Dia continued, the expression on their face became more and more serious with every passing second. "I can merely speculate why I am like this but I know that I am your black words sentient and humanised in your mortal mind. I am the stage Lyn feared that night."

"No…"

"Yes," Dia urged as she placed her cup down on the table and to prove her point smoke began to swirl around her fingers like glittering snakes. "And to explain further, I am also you."

Diana reacted to that by standing up and walking away, knocking her chair behind her as Dia followed, continued her explanations as she watched Diana's hands ran down her hair and press the sides of her head in thought and denial. "I have access to your mind, thoughts, dreams and memories. I see your nightmares and wishes, your fears and longing. I am nothing but a mental guide to help you somehow but in the worst case scenario I can and will control your actions to protect you in the direst of situations."

"How?" Diana asked, her voice breaking at the seams in desperation as she turned to Dia. She had a feeling that the monster in her dreams were her black words but to hear it out loud, confirmed and real, affected her more than Diana ever realised. She thought that those dreams were realistic nightmares, something her mind conjured to help her deal with the problem of her black words. "How in Jennifer's name did this ever happen? How in the nines' name, in my ancestor's name is this possible? You're just words! You're just something to find my soulmate where those three words are the last thing they say before they die in my arms."

"Do words not have power?" Dia countered as they took a brave step forward and pointed at Diana. "You of all people should know how powerful a few simple words can do to a person."

"But this is a whole other level, this is unprecedented, undocumented-"

"Wrong," Dia interjected as they took out a book from the shelf behind Diana. Diana recognised the title immediately, it was the book Akko read in the library ages ago when she first asked Diana about the meaning of words. ' _Astra inclinant, sed non obligant' Notably known as 'The Stars incline us, they do not bind us.'_  "It has occurred before in the black worded person-"

"That book is nothing but fiction!" Diana screamed as she knocked it out of Dia's hand. She refused to believe that the story has any real knowledge, it was one of the famous stories that pioneered the idea of black worded people like her are walking villains, it was also had one of the most complex villains out there which explained why it is so popular after all these decades.

Dia gave her an annoyed look as they picked up the book and placed it on the shelf with care. "And writers tend to be inspired by real-life events, of stories and myths hidden to the common eye and biased historians."

"They still class us as villains."

Dia gave Diana a cold stare, her dark ocean eyes held a storm, on an intensity that Diana didn't know they could harbour and hold. "And villains can be tragic heroes in their own stories. It's all up to interpretation."

Diana shook her head, determined to not get derailed by an opinion she doesn't share, she had more important things to think about and unravel. "I don't believe this still. This doesn't explain how you are- Alive. I merely thought you were a dream, a nightmare. That the mind conjured you to help me cope or to lash at something."

Dia's tense stance relaxed a bit as they stepped back and sighed, smoke dancing around their fingers in a jittery manner. "To be honest, I don't know much either... In speculation and from what the stories you've read, I believe I am not to exist like this till you are an adult, why I am here when your emotions are unstable could be due to your intense magical prowess." Dia said casually before smirking at Diana. "But as I said, this is just speculation."

"I don't understand any of this."

Dia laughed as she leaned on the desk, knocking over some pieces of paper. "And you think I do? I will repeat this as many times as I have to Diana, I am you. All I know, all I understand is everything that you know, everything you understand. The only things that I understand that didn't come from you are the fact that I exist, that I am a mental guide for you to help you survive among others things that should not be shared because you're not ready for it. All I do is watch, speculate and act according to your best wishes."

"My best wishes?" Diana scoffed as she crossed her arms, eyes narrowing to a hateful glare. "Are you telling me that hurting my friends are my best wishes? Or are you just lying to get some sort of rise out of me?"

A long pause drifted between them and the tension threaded itself in layers as Dia did nothing but smile lazily at Diana's cold glower. The tension was thick and began to suffocate Diana but Diana did not care, she stood her ground, she needed to hear this from the monster living in her head. "Well?"

"Do you really want me to answer that question?" Dia said in a slow voice, one full of disbelief and caution but laced with the sound of taunts.

Diana gritted her teeth as her nails dug into the palm of her hand. The way they spoke, the way they phrased that question made it seem that they both knew the answer. If Diana was wrong then it meant that they were looking down on her, mocking her for a thing that she couldn't handle. It drove her crazy. In spite of her terrible childhood, she was never treated this way so it was amazing that the first person that did was a twisted version of herself.

"You're a monster," Diana snarled, voice full of malice and hatred.

Dia laughed again, in the way that seemed that they were in some sort of inside joke that Diana would never be part of. "Tell me something I don't know Diana," they smirked as they glanced at a stray paper on the floor, one scribbled with notes in a doctor's handwriting before they suddenly locked eyes with Diana, the ocean storm in their eyes brewing with deadliness and chaos. "Tell me something new."

Diana didn't answer, in fact, she couldn't answer. Too lost staring into her word's human eyes, at the storm swimming in those dark ocean blue. Everything began to pile against her again and it was building in a fast pace, faster than she expected. Thoughts and questions flashed in her head, coming once before leaving again before Diana could have a decent grip on it. What stayed in spite of everything was mocking laugh, the not so hidden fact that Dia was hiding something from her. It's funny how someone with the best intentions for her would hide something from her, in her own head of all things.

Dia snorted, quietly cackling to themselves as Diana remembered that they could hear her own thoughts. "I can't reveal everything as it would be too much for you little mortal brain to handle. And if I told you the truth, why your little comforting world will break one more time."

"Regardless," Diana began, ignoring how right Dia was and the uncomfortable quench in her stomach on the fact that they were right. "I demand the truth, tell me everything."

"Even if I did, you wouldn't believe it, you don't even believe that I really exist, that I am your black words humanised, a mystical guide living in your head. You don't believe that I am you."

Again, there was that infuriating line that Diana hated every time it was spoken. She hated it more than her own black words, I am you. It was pathetic and wrong. Diana would never be the monster that Dia was or claimed her to be. She would never be them.

"I never said that you would be me," Dia said as she glanced at Diana. Once again Diana remembered that Dia could read her thoughts and found more reasons to despise their existence. Diana hated the lack of privacy, it was bizarre to think it was in her own head of all things.

"If it helps you sleep at night Cavendish," Dia started as they shifted they straighten their back and looked directly into Diana's eyes. " You will never be me."

Without realising Diana gasped, a ghostly chill swept through her bones and froze the blood boiling under her skin. Dia smirked at her, amused at the reaction like they expected it from Diana. "I am nothing but a guide Diana," they continued, "Something to make sure you stay alive to do whatever the fate wants you to do and as for why?" Dia scoffed, a bitter laugh leaving their lips as they looked at the smoke twirling between their fingertips. "I only know as much as you do, which is nothing".

"I am something that shouldn't exist, something born years in advance from your intense magic and skill. Our lives, our existence are not on the same level." Diana stayed silent, surprised at the raw emotion of their words and body expression. For a split second, Diana forgot that the figure in front of her wasn't someone she despised, that it wasn't she hated. She stared, strange and conflicted emotions flowed throughout her system, she hated them that was absolute but… why did a part of her felt pity for them? Why did she feel like there is more to them than what they lead on?

"If you want the truth then wait, in time you shall receive but for now be satisfied with what you have," Dia said causing Diana to blink back to reality. Dia was still looking at their fingers and only looked up after a couple of seconds of silent staring. "If you're too impatient, try looking more things up. Maybe you can find a way to get rid of me."

"I can do that?"

Dia laughed again, now that Diana paid more attention with her anger and hatred subsiding a bit, there was a veiled layer of hollowness behind the mocking and sarcastic tune. "I'm sure if you look hard enough you could find something Diana," Dia grinned. "I can tell that you're going to be one brightest witch the world has ever seen."

Normally a phrase like that would be met with an air of indifference but instead, a strange feeling emerged in Diana's stomach. Out of all the weird and questioning feeling she had towards Dia, this one eclipsed all of them. It was a strange spike to her abdomen but instead of it piercing, it tickled then numbed her like a subdued warning sign. Diana had no idea what it meant and she had a feeling Dia wouldn't tell her if she asked.

"I'm afraid our time is nearing to an end Cavendish," Dia said as they looked at a clock on a wall, one that wasn't there before. Diana looked at the clock, confused that the arms weren't moving, it was static but in the corner of her eyes, she could see the shadows flicker. "Before you go I feel like I need to tell you," Diana glanced back at Dia and noticed the small, knowing smile on her lips "My power, the power of your words won't affect you for good amount of time."

Diana looked over Dia cautiously, trying to find anything, any lie or reason to mistrust in her eyes and how they stand, not surprisingly she couldn't find anything. There was the hint of something deeper, something hidden under the surface layer but apart from that, there was truth in her eyes and sincerity in her smile. "Explain."

There Dia chuckled as Diana's vision became to warp and twist. Soon enough Diana was back to darkness, Dia's last words haunting her like it always does. "You'll figure out soon enough."

* * *

The next time Diana opened her eyes, she was never so happy to see the sterile white ceiling of the infirmary and feel the dull ache and pain across her body. The happiness didn't last long however as with the next breath surged the intensity of the pain causing her to groan loudly causing the body next to her to stir awake. It was only when Diana found the strength to sit up, her bandaged palms resting over her eyes to help them adjust and to push her hair away did the other figure speak.

"Diana?"

Diana looked up, still groggy as flashes from the dream? An insight into her mind? Conversation with her words? pulsed in her head. She made a sound of acknowledgement as she slumped back on her bed, casually accepting a glass of water from a figure she was familiar with but not yet recognise this early upon waking. "Thank you," she murmured under her breath, relishing the cool touch of water as her vision becomes clearer.

"You're welcome little Dana."

The old nickname made Diana's eyes widened as she looked at the figure near her bed, recognising the family face in an instant. On her bedside was none other than her cousin Elizabeth, the one that protected her when she was younger, the one that Professor Ursula saved when she was defending people like her when she was at Luna Nova ages ago. Her golden blond hair was messily in a bun and there was a watery smile on her face and when Diana met her eyes, there was relief in those pale blue eyes, tears building up in the corner.

The sight caused Diana to down water in the wrong tube causing her to splutter and cough as she pulled the glass of water away from her. Elizabeth 's smile morphed into panic as she patted Diana's back and helped her calm down, whispering soothing words in Diana's red tipped ears. Diana was so happy that Elizabeth was here, for both family reasons and the fact that if it was a friend like Amanda or Akko they would tease her for practically doing a spit take at her cousin's appearance and the embarrassed blush across her face.

"Well, I hope that the spit take was for something else and not me being here," Elizabeth teased with a light-hearted chuckle.

"My apologies," Diana said as she cleared her throat, mainly out of habit. "I…." She began before she stopped and looked around her. Now that she was fully awake and not coughing the water from her throat she could see that they were in a room with a closed door with several chairs, Elizabeth was occupying the best and comfiest chair and there was sunlight shimmering through the curtains. "How long was I was out for?"

"An entire day and a bit," Elizabeth answered as she held Diana's hand and squeeze it, Diana turned around to look at her, confusion in her eyes. "It's Sunday right now."

Just like that, Diana's eyes grew once more as she tried her best to remove herself from Elizabeth's grip. She knew what Sunday meant, it was the day where her black words would do the worst of the worst. She was so instinctually lost in thought and worry that she forgot about what Dia told her a dream ago and she didn't even hear her cousin trying to calm her down.

"Diana, Diana please calm down."

"But heart weeks isn't over!" Diana explained, her breathing becoming faster and faster. "I could-"

"If something bad was meant to happen then it would've happened already," Elizabeth reassured quickly as she forced Diana to look her in the eye to show her that there is nothing to fear. A part of her broke when she could see nothing but fear in her little cousin's eyes.

"Don't tease fate like this cousin," Diana begged, her breathing become slower and calmer in Elizabeth's arms. She was terrified but a part of her wanted to believe in the only living family that actually cared for her regardless of her colour.

"I'm not, I'm merely stating facts," Elizabeth whispered, her voice calm and soothing. Diana nodded her head as she motioned for Elizabeth to continue. "I have been here ever since Friday, by your side ever since we found you and your friends and nothing has happened to me or your friends, except from what the fanatics did, something that is not your fault," Elizabeth added, stressing the final part of the reassurance and how Diana is void of blame.

Of course, Diana being Diana only focused on the most important part of that conversation, awe and wonder in her voice as she stared at Elizabeth. "You were here since Friday?" From the corner of her eye, Diana could feel the touch of the waterworks, the idea of her cousin being here for her well being sent an old feeling of warmth to her heart and urged Diana to cling onto Elizabeth in a tight hug the moment she nodded her head.

"I was here the moment my friend Ursula called me about you," Elizabeth explained, saying the words to Diana's ear as she held onto Diana with an intense fever of protection. "She told me that you were taken and I-" There was a pregnant pause and Diana held onto the fabric of the cardigan Elizabeth was wearing as she could hear the familiar sound of someone trying not to break. "I got so worried."

The warm wet feeling of tears touched the crook of her shoulder where Elizabeth hid her face and Diana found herself doing the same, from just listening to the silent but relieved tears. "But you're safe now, what happened over the last day should be enough, it has to be enough."

At that moment, Diana remembered the words of Dia her black words, telling her their power wouldn't affect her for an indefinite amount of time. Diana sighed in relief laced annoyance, relief that Dia was right and annoyed that Dia was right and real. It always sent an uncomfortable ache in her chest knowing that Dia was not only real but an enigma, a mystery that Diana has no leads to look for. Now that she thought about it more, what did she know about black words?

"I think it's enough…" Diana mentioned quietly, her brow furrowing as she thought more and more about the question. All she knew was the fact that they were monsters, all that she knew that they would hurt people she loved, that someone would die with her words spoken on their lips. She barely knew anyone living who held those words, let alone any dead ones. Those that she did know were labelled as curses, evil witches used as stories to stop kids from wandering in the dark or doing bad things.

"Diana?" Elizabeth asked as she moved back and faced Diana, with a worried glance and dried tears, "You're tensing." Diana didn't even realise she was and forced herself to relax as she looked away from Elizabeth. She didn't want to hide or lie to her cousin but she didn't want to worry her with the existence of Dia, it freaked her out and was still freaking her out. She didn't want to put that extra stress on Elizabeth right now.

"My apologies," Diana said as she looked back to Elizabeth, "It just occurred to me that it was likely that you were in the courtyard that Friday night."

Elizabeth made a light chuckle as she brushed a fallen strand of hair back behind Diana's ear. "Always a worrywart aren't you little Dana." Diana's cheeks blushed at the accusation but didn't do anything to defend herself as she leaned back into her pillows and waited for Elizabeth to speak.

"Well first of all your teachers were dealing with some fourth years near the ruins, apparently they were harassing Ursula's familiar, which gave them the go-to to create the dome. The moment that happened, Ursula heard your name in low conversations and called me. I came as soon as I could. A couple of the older staff went out to get the authorities as this was a serious crime meanwhile Ursula and others lead the attack to save you and the other students. After we got through the green dome, we found your friends hiding and waiting with those who didn't believe in Lyn and I healed them the best I could before trying the best to find you in the chaos. The moment Lyn saw me, however, she teleported you and herself away."

"But how did you figure out where we were? How did you get out through the barrier?"

Elizabeth gritted her teeth as she glared at the door. "We had some help." As if it was timed there was a knock on the door before it opened. When Diana saw who was standing there, Diana couldn't but gasp. In the doorway, there was a fourth year Diana met on Friday, the girl with brown eyes and a faltering breath. The girl who gave Diana the opportunity to steal the wand and get out of the hallway.

"Well," The girl said as she glanced between Diana and Elizabeth with a neutral expression. "This is a surprise, I'm glad the princess is awake." Without warning, Diana's body tensed as her heart quietly but rapidly beat in her chest, in a feat that she never had before.

"What are you doing here Alice?" Elizabeth snarled in a dangerous tone Diana never heard her speak in.

"I was here to fetch you," Alice said coolly, her eyes not leaving Elizabeth's. "Professor Ursula needed your help with something."

"Tell her she can wait, I need to stay and tell her what happened to your soulmate." Diana looked at her cousin and the fourth year surprised that the claim was true with the way Alice's eyes twitched before she glared at Elizabeth.

"No need to do that, I can always tell her myself as it was my soulmate whose being locked away." This time her voice was stiffer, rising to a scowling taunt as the dangerous tension began to crowd around all of them."

"Give me a good reason why I should do that?"

"There isn't," Alice admitted as she stepped aside. "However Ursula needed your help with something and I do need to have a talk with Miss Cavendish now that she's awake." Alice glanced at Diana and their eyes met and Diana found herself more confused than ever. "The quicker I could do this, the quicker I could leave," Alice reminded prompting Elizabeth to sigh and massage her head.

She turned to Diana with an apologetic smile before leaning forward and kissing the crown on her head. "I'm so sorry about this little Dana." The soft expression vanished as she stood and walked over to Alice, her height towering over her. "Hurt her and you will answer to me, leave when you're done." With that, she left the room, not even bothering to close the door as she left.

Alice watched her leave and the silent tension in the room simmered to awkwardness as Alice's mask she wore on her face gradually left and was now replaced with hesitance and weariness, for what however Diana didn't know. "You wanted to tell me something?" Diana said, realising that the needed talk won't happen till someone said anything.

"Yes," Alice said clearing her throat before she sat on one of the chairs near Diana. The mask was back on her face but there was still some scared emotions slipping through. "How much did your cousin tell you about the consequences of the party?"

"She only managed to tell me what on happened on that night before you interrupted."

"Okay, well I'll keep this brief for we have many important things to discuss. After the teachers and other apprehended majority of my year, they were naturally arrested on various crimes. For the safety of the school, the headmistress decreed that the remaining fourth years who weren't at the scene would be on a study leave and travel the world, as they are innocent. Which essentially meant we are not to be back at Luna Nova until graduation."

"What happened that night also caught media attention and for now Luna Nova closed their doors per say so that classes won't be disrupted. It sparked an uproar and caused the witch community to open their eyes on coloured discrimination, even more, when they found out that the chaos was sparked by someone who simply thought that another person had black words which turned out to be a baseless rumors. What were we teaching our children if it caused something like this? Debates on black words sprung up again and the world is in a slight chaos because of it."

"I see…" Diana said, tension writhing in her stomach knowing the fact that she did this. Though she was even more confused now with the fact that Lyn was in front of her, she was there that night, why wasn't she arrested? "And Lyn?"

The name caused Alice to bristle as she closed her eyes with a heavy sigh. "Gone, taken somewhere else till someone alerted her family." It was strange to Diana that instead of sadness, or bitterness there fear was the most present emotion in Alice's voice.

When Alice opened her eyes, Diana saw gritted determination swimming through the layers of fear. "Look, you probably don't want to hear this and I won't blame you but I need to tell you about Lyn and why she did what she did."

"To sympathise with her?" Diana snarled, disgusted already with the thought.

Alice shook her head, "To warn you." Just like the temperature of the room dropped and the daunting silenced humbled Diana as she looked at Alice, no longer view her as just some fourth year who aided Lyn but one who changed their mind and helped. Alice didn't look at Diana, she hung her head low and stared at her fingers, twiddling with each other as a dark frown fell upon her face. "Lyn's family are witch hunters, a family whose secret job is to find people who have black words and make them disappear."

Alice pulled a face like she swallowed something vile before taking a deep breath and continued. "Lyn was never meant to come to Luna Nova four years ago, she only came because she had a feeling that a black worded person was here. She was so convinced that the house believed her. Turns out it was nothing but a nasty rumour and the family shamed her and forced her to study here instead of having private studying. We realised we were soulmates in the second year and I comforted her about family issues and her desire to make her elders be proud of her." A bitter laugh escaped her throat as tears ran down her cheeks, Alice quickly wiped them away as she stared at the window.

"I thought I was doing well in convincing Lyn that she didn't need her family but when your year came around, Lyn had a feeling again that a black worded person was in that year and after a lot of thinking she thought it was Atsuko Kagari with all the times she got into accidents and mini-disasters. This time she got so caught up with the idea of being accepted into the family again that she didn't care that it made me uncomfortable, something she promised she would never do." There was a small sigh, one of lost and longing when Alice moved her head again to look at Diana. "Again she was wrong, even if she was right there was no way to prove since Miss Kagari doesn't have words currently."

"How in the nine do you know this?" Diana asked in an instant, anger spiking underneath her skin as she glared fiercely at the older student.

Alice noticed the protectiveness straightaway and laughed lightly before answering. "She showed me herself that Friday night when I spotted her out of the mines and directed her to the Jennifer Tree whilst the teachers were getting ready to fight back." The light laughter turned to a mix of a cackle and a chuckle as she saw Diana's surprised face. "How else did you think she got there? That place was a backup plan in case things went wrong."

"This is irrelevant," Diana said stiffly, trying not to get embarrassed by her blatant expression of surprise. "Where is the warning in all of this?

"The warning is that even if Lyn was wrong in her assumption, she was right with the fact that there is somewhere here with black words."

Once again, silence. It stayed silent for a little longer as Diana eyed Alice concern with hidden wariness. "...And what is the basis for the assumption?"

Alice began to unroll her sleeves, pushing the cuff back to her biceps before turning her arm around to show her exposed words, coloured in fading lime green mixed with the expanding colour of dark almost blackish grey. Diana couldn't stop her mouth from falling even if she had the energy to try. She was so dumbstruck, eyes wide and blatantly staring at the sudden contrast of colours, she never saw that grey colour before in her life, let alone one that expanded and diminished on repeat.

"This," Alice said voice sombre as her thumb brushed over the 4 letter sentence. "Do you know what this colour means? The dark grey?"

"I never saw that colour in my entire life…" Diana said, her voice was in a small whisper, her entire world has shifted again and it reminded Diana that even if she was a genius at age 16, there was still so much she didn't know. She wouldn't lie to herself, it scared her a bit.

"I expected as much, at the end of year 3 you will be taught that some soulmates just fall apart. Too much external forces and you two could become different people with different ideals etc. So a grey strip meant that the love has dwindled, it could be reunited again and when that happens the colours come back but the love is most likely gone. It's a rare occasion as people tend to work together to get over obstacles and it's not taught much to keep the love last forever propaganda around soulmates. That's what most adults would think when they see this on mine and Lyn's words."

Diana nodded along, taking a mental note of everything she was suddenly learning. It made sense, Alice was Lyn's soulmate and she turned on her which caused this change, it had nothing to do with her, even if the tone was just a couple of shades lighter than her own words.

"It's wrong."

For the first time after seeing her words, Diana stopped staring and looked up at Alice. Alice didn't look at her, busy coughing something into the palm of her hand. Diana was about to ask a question, but Alice took one look at her and started to explain, voice a bit rougher than before. "This shade, grey where its nearly black meant that black worded affected them, that they changed their fate where they would not be together. I only know this because Lyn told me in the past and her family would know this the moment they see her words. And when that happens, you're in trouble Cavendish."

"Me?"

Alice nodded her head as she coughed more into the palm of her hand, she then grimaced and closed her hand to a fist and held both of her hands close to her chest, one arm which was the one with the words covering the other. "You and the black worded person you harbour," Alice explained. "I know you don't have it but I know you know who does and for their sake and yours stay safe. I turned on my soulmate because I realised this much violence wasn't right for a singular person and I'm only allowed to stay till I warned you. Then I'll be on my way to prison to deal with the time I deserve for helping Lyn."

Alice took a deep breath as she stared at the ceiling, a quiet mumble on her lips as tears began to build up in the corner of her eye. Diana stayed silent and just watched, not sure how to act or if she should say anything at all. "And I will stress this till I am no longer able to," Alice said finally after a moment of silence. Still, she stared at the ceiling and didn't dare look back at Diana's expression worried expression.

"Lyn's family is dangerous because no one knows who the hell they are and what they do." Alice coughed again and it forced her to look down, still avoiding Diana's eyes, tears trickled down her cheeks and hit her legs. "But they know more about black words than anyone else in the world and they view black words as a threat. They and Lyn believed that black worded people are monsters and will create chaos wherever they go and they have the power to- " If Alice wanted to say more, she couldn't as she coughed up blood, her palms, already stained with specks of blood tried to catch it but it started to slip through her fingers and stain her clothes.

Even if the person was someone who aided Lyn, someone Diana didn't fully trust Diana still sat up, fear in her eyes as she gasped at the sudden appearance of blood. "Alice!"

"I can't say any more, I shared too much. Lyn's protection on me is waning, if I share any more of her family secrets I could lose my ability to talk permanently," Alice explained as she looked at her hands. "In more ways than one."

Diana grabbed her wand on the stand next to her and whispered a healing word to Alice, the blood, stains and the ache vanished and Alice's shoulders slumped as she took a fresh breath of air. She looked at Diana, a smile on her face as she laughed. "You are truly a kind person Diana Cavendish, I know the stuff I have done to help is not enough but I am sorry for ever raising a hand against you. The world needs more people like you."

The last sentence caused Diana to pause, unnerved with the sudden praise from a stranger she actually disliked at one point. Alice didn't notice her conflicted feelings as she stood up and walked away, only stopping at the door to glance back at Diana. "All I can say is this, research. Research and pray that you won't get caught." With that, she closed the door behind her and left Diana lost in thought. But the mental debates and questioned exhausted Diana and lulled herself into an empty and dreamless sleep.

* * *

The next time Diana woke up, she woke up to darkness and distant sounds of crashing, the shadows looked like they grew larger and moonlight drifted through the curtains showering the door and her bed. The sight was all too familiar and Diana only managed to calm herself only when she looked at her hands and saw bandages instead of glittering smoke. It took her a few more minutes, practising even and controlled breathing to calm the ache of her beating heart, even longer to give up the resistance to look at every single object with hypervigilance. She was safe, she knew that fact but it seemed her body still hasn't learnt it which was fair, it's only been a day since she fought Lyn.

Just as she was about to go to sleep again, Diana heard the sound of footsteps, closer this time and Diana reached for her wand just as the door opened before closing in an instant. Diana dropped the wand in her lap, one hand covering her smile to muffle the laugh rising up her throat. In front of her door was none other than Akko Kagari several bandages and plaster, sweat drops on the side of her face as she scrunched her eyes and murmured a repeated wish under her breath. "Please be the right room, please be the right room."

Diana found the sight adorable, and couldn't help but giggle which made Akko finally open her eyes. Their eyes met and Diana grinned, "Fear not Akko this is the right room."

"Dianaaaaa!" Akko yelled as she ran over to Diana before tripping over a few chairs she couldn't see in the dark. Diana's widened as laughed harder against the palms of her hands, her voice was the happiest and most carefree sound in a long while that when Akko grumbled to herself, rubbing her head she couldn't help but stop and stare in awe.

"Akko are you okay?" Diana grinned as she leaned over the bed, the moonlight shining behind her. "You're not hurt or anything are you?"

"Wow…" Akko whispered before her eyes widened at how close their faces were and at the sudden mental reminder that Diana asked her a question. "Yes!" She said, red in the face as she stood. "I mean no- I mean, I'm fine. I'm perfectly fine."

Diana giggled as she moved into her bed to create space, now that didn't have to worry about her words for while, it gave her the freedom to do things like this and when the night hung over them, promising infinity, Diana wanted to spend that feeling like she was a regular teenager, not a curse with a threat hanging over her head. "If you insist, care to join me?"

"I um…" Akko said with a stutter and hesitation Diana didn't understand, then she remembered about what she revealed to Akko in the midst of a breakdown that early Saturday morning and suddenly there was a small lurch in her stomach. It would be too much to hope that nothing has really changed between them after her big reveal. "If you are comfortable with it that is, it's perfectly fine if you decline," She added cautiously.

"I don't mind!" Akko assured, eyes wide in a panic. "I just, I mean I only just heard that you woke up earlier and I don't want to like, accidentally hurt you." Akko then scratched her nose, looking elsewhere with a faint blush on her cheeks. "Like, I already kinda feel bad cause I probably woke you up when I ran down the halls looking for you."

Diana rose her brow in disbelief. "Did you really tried to find me the moment you found out I woke up?"

There was nothing but silence from Akko but a warm blush emitting from her skin, it was enough for Diana to laugh most of her worries away. "You're really too sweet Akko, truly." Akko shyly glanced at Diana, a small grin on her face as Diana smiled back. "And fear not Akko, if something happened I would inform you immediately."

With her concerns addressed, Akko gently moved into Diana's bed, shifting so that they were in a comfortable position. They stayed like that for at least five minutes, both content with the peaceful silence and both struggling to find a way to start a conversation. For Diana, she was too busy trying to address Akko's opinion on her words now that they weren't in an emotionally high environment. For Akko, it was because she had no idea how to respond to her crush inviting her to sit on her bed with her.

"So…." They both began, at the same time. They looked at each other, matching tints of blush on their face before they derail to fits of giggling.

"You go first Diana," Akko said with a grin.

"So, I apologise if the question breaks the peaceful atmosphere between us but I don't think I could handle the silence any further." Diana took a deep sigh, steeling herself for any sort of contradiction to Akko's words on Saturday and she looked away, her body tensing. "What are your thoughts on the colour of my words, and I would like your honest opinion even if it's not good."

There was a brief silence before Akko spoke, "Are you still worried about it?"

"I don't think there will be a day where I wouldn't worry about it," Diana answered truthfully.

"I don't think anything less about you Diana because you have black words, in my eyes, you're still a good person and I still mean what I said yesterday, I'm not going to leave you alone to deal with all of this."

Diana's body relaxed, her weight gone from her chest as she turned around Akko with a smile as she slipped their fingers together and gave their intertwined hands a soft thankful squeeze, "You have my deepest gratitude Akko and I'm really glad that I call you my friend." Akko smiled back as they fell back to a lapse of content and weight free silence before Diana broke it again. "So what was your question?"

"Oh um," Akko said as she pulled a face, one Diana admired greatly for its cute appearance. "It wasn't really a question really, it was more like a ummmmm, a fact? Reminder thing?" Akko shook her head, already given up to find the proper word to for the thing she was about to say. "Basically, I was going to tell you that I didn't look at your words on Saturday." Diana gasped, she thought that Akko had at least a glimpse before putting her cloak over her arm to hide it. She had no words to explain how the warm emotions in her chest or have any way to properly show how much that small simple action meant to her. "All I know about them is the fact that they're black and-"

What came next out of Akko's mouth was broken cry of surprise instead of her intended sentence as Diana kiss her cheek, an act powered by intense gratitude and the desire to leave Akko as speechless as she was. It made logical sense, if Diana couldn't find the words to show her happiness to Akko, actions would do.

Diana smiled against Akko's cheeks before she pulled away, warmth on her cheeks which she assumed were the side effects of being this happy. She hasn't been this happy in a very long time. When Akko looked at her, the feeling of pride caused Diana to grin more when she saw that Akko's face was as red as her eyes.

"I apologise for the suddenness but I needed to show what it meant to me. Thank you for not looking," Diana said warmly as she squeezed their hands, "It means a lot to me."

"Yeah, I could tell that," Akko laughed, a bit hysterically and in a bit of disbelief. "I um- I, You're welcome I suppose." Giggles left Akko mouth and she covered her lips with her free hand. "Nines I'm sorry, you just caught me off guard and I-" Akko stopped herself as another round of giggles left her lips. Diana chuckled, amused and proud that her intentions were met. "I can't believe you did that!"

"I can't believe I did that too," Diana hummed as she sighed with happiness. "I suppose without the threat of my black words ruining things for me I could act a bit more free with my life." It was also really comforting to admit things about herself that she consistently had to hide without fear of judgment. Sure there was Elizabeth but she wasn't going to stay all the time. The freedom to just mention her black words around Akko was refreshing, liberating even.

"Wait? Your black words aren't going to bother you anymore?"

"Well," Diana exhaled with a long pause. "Somewhat, I consider the matter to be complicated and an extraordinarily long story."

"Well," Akko smiled as she got cosy in Diana's bed before holding their hands up. "It's a good thing I have time for a long story."

And just like that Diana told everything she could about her weird dream or mental visit, she told her about Dia, about how odd they were and how Diana felt like they were hiding something. She also talked about her cousin Elizabeth and about Alice with her warnings. Akko soon enough chipped in with what happened to them after Diana blacked out, how she shot fireworks to get people's attention now that Lyn wasn't consciously hiding them, how Elizabeth literally rushed in, stole Diana from her and rushed back out leaving Ursula to deal with her and the unconscious body of Lyn. Both Diana and Akko shared stories under the moonlight, replacing the memory of a harsh environment of hatred, the silver moonlight crashing and clinging to Diana like chains to a soft environment of laughter and peace.

Then when the promise of infinite that night held began to wane, Diana held Akko close and asked her to stay, reassuring Akko's worries of being caught with the fact that they would understand. In the end, Akko complied and held Diana in her arms, her tired lips unknowingly kissing Diana's golden and green streaked hair as she slept whilst Diana rested her head on Akko's chest, listening to her heartbeat as a lullaby. That night was the best night's rest Diana had in a long time and when she dreamed, Akko was with her, smiling like they had all the time in the world.

In other parts of Britain however, not everyone had that same luxury. In her infirmary room, a certain redhead was wide awake, staring at the ceiling, looking for answers she didn't know where to find.

In the county of Sussex, a family of witches were screaming at each other, trying to quickly find a way to deal with the latest family mess.

In the highest tower in Luna Nova, a tired woman with golden hair trapped in a bun, asked a question as she packed up her bandages. "How you long do you think you could keep up the act?"

Another woman, with oval glasses and long red hair, one that glowed brightly in the moonlight glanced over her shoulder before continuing to stare at a scarred moon, her bandaged hand pressing on lightly on the glass window. "Long enough."

And in the depths of Diana's own mind, the mental room Diana was in before kept on flickering from a lit room to a dull room of shadows. In the middle of the room, behind the desk was Dia, they had one hand was pressing against their hair as the other scribbled intensely on a piece of parchment. Their hair was more frazzled and the dark ocean eyes were full of fear and anxiety in spite of the tired shape and the dark bags hanging below. Their lips were constantly moving, repeating the same line over and over again. "She must not know, she must not know."

Then the room stopped flickering all together and it teleported Dia to the dark and murky room. Dia stopped their writing and glanced at the three-word sentence they were created from that surfaced on their white porcelain skin. "For her own safety," they breathed, tired by everything as they looked up and glanced around the intensive labyrinth of thoughts and knowledge of the ruined Cavendish Manor library. "For her own safety, she must never know."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N ITS DONE. I CAN'T FUCKING BELIEVE IT I FINISHED THIS ARC! TOOK A FUCKING YEAR BUT HEY IT'S DONE!
> 
> Anyways, next arc, gonna be great. Really excited, the story changed a lot since I first wrote it but hey, I like where I'm planning with this version. I have made some hints in the final bit and yeah, super excited. Now, this is the part where you gotta pay attention, cause it concerns my updating schedule.
> 
> So some people know in the fandom, I somewhat live a busy life, school and house and health stuff get in the way from writing long fics. So I made a plan to update in arcs, mini-arcs really. So what that means is instead of 1 chapter, then maybe in a month another chapter. I write a small arc that's maybe 3 or 4 chapters long then I update the fic with one-week intervals for that arc. That means I have time to write and not stress about deadlines, and we hopefully won't be in the situation again where I leave the story on a cliffhanger and I don't update in a year.
> 
> Of course, some arcs will be longer and, for example, Diana and Akko getting together officially (Cause they are not together rn, Diana is just really happy to not think about the consequences and worry about them ie if Akko is Diana's soulmate)? It's a long arc but something like Diana telling Hannah and Barbara about her words, short arc. Dianakko fluff or angst could happen whilst I end that reveal arc. I will also say in the AN if a chapter is the end of an arc, especially if its the long arc. In terms of when this story is going to end? I have like two big overarching arcs left which so far are really good, I still gotta really plan it out but yeah I'm excited.
> 
> I don't know when I will next update again cause I gotta plan, hopefully before the year ends. In the meantime of waiting for this fic to be updated I will pump out some one-shots that been sitting in the backburner so expect them too, also expect something from charoix week when we get prompts. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, hoped it both answered some questions and opened more doors. Leave a review if you want, I read them and it makes my day even when I'm a bit shy to reply (sorry about that, not good with talking words lmao)


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